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The British racing team and Formula One could do with anything decisive during this title fight between Norris and Piastri getting resolved through on-track action and without reference to the pit wall as the title run-in kicks off this weekend at Circuit of the Americas starting Friday.

Marina Bay race aftermath prompts internal strain

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and tense debriefs dealt with, McLaren is aiming for a fresh start. Norris was almost certainly fully conscious about the historical parallels regarding his retort toward his upset colleague at the last race weekend. In a fiercely contested title fight with the Australian, that Norris invoked a famous Senna most famous sentiments was lost on no one but the incident that provoked his comment differed completely from incidents characterizing Senna's iconic battles.

“Should you criticize me for simply attempting an inside move of a big gap then you should not be in F1,” Norris said of his opening-lap attempt to pass that led to their vehicles making contact.

His comment appeared to paraphrase Senna’s “If you no longer go an available gap that exists then you cease to be a racing driver” justification he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart following his collision with Alain Prost in Japan in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Similar spirit but different circumstances

Although the attitude remains comparable, the wording marks where parallels stop. The late champion confessed he never intended of letting Prost beat him through the first corner whereas Norris attempted to make his pass cleanly in Singapore. Indeed, his maneuver was legitimate which received no penalty despite the minor contact he made against his McLaren teammate as he went through. That itself stemmed from him clipping the car of Max Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, instantly stated that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was verboten under McLaren’s rules for racing and Norris ought to be told to return the position he gained. The team refused, yet it demonstrated that in any cases of contention, each would quickly ask the squad to intervene in their favor.

Squad management and impartiality being examined

This is part and parcel of McLaren’s laudable efforts to allow their racers compete against each other and to try to be as scrupulously fair. Quite apart from tying some torturous knots when establishing rules about what defines just or unjust – under these conditions, now includes bad luck, strategy and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there is the question of perception.

Most crucially to the title race, six races left, Piastri is ahead of Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists on fairness and at what point their opinion may diverge with that of the McLaren pitwall. That is when their friendly rapport among them could eventually – become a little bit more the iconic rivalry.

“It will reach to a situation where minor points count,” commented Mercedes boss Wolff post-race. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I suppose aggression will increase further. That’s when it starts to become thrilling.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

For spectators, during this dual battle, getting interesting will probably be welcomed as a track duel rather than a spreadsheet-based arbitration of circumstances. Not least because for F1 the other impression from these events isn't very inspiring.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking appropriate choices for their interests with successful results. They clinched their tenth team championship in Singapore (though a great achievement overshadowed by the fuss prompted by the Norris-Piastri moment) and in Andrea Stella as team principal they possess a moral and principled leader who truly aims to do the right thing.

Racing purity versus squad control

Yet having drivers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall to decide matters appears unsightly. Their competition should be decided on track. Chance and fate will play their part, but better to let them simply go at it and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that every disputed moment will be pored over by the team to ascertain whether they need to intervene and subsequently resolved afterwards behind closed doors.

The scrutiny will intensify and each time it happens it is in danger of potentially making a difference which might prove decisive. Previously, after the team made for position swaps in Italy due to Norris experiencing a slow pit stop and Piastri believing he was treated unfairly with the strategy call in Budapest, where Norris triumphed, the spectre of a fear about bias also emerges.

Squad viewpoint and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to see a title constantly disputed over perceived that the efforts to be fair were unequal. Questioned whether he believed the squad had managed to do right by both drivers, Piastri responded he believed they had, but noted it's a developing process.

“There’s been some difficult situations and we’ve spoken about various aspects,” he said post-race. “However finally it’s a learning process with the whole team.”

Six races stay. The team has minimal wriggle room left for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser now to simply close the books and withdraw from the conflict.