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McLaren along with F1 could do with anything decisive during this championship battle involving Norris and Oscar Piastri getting resolved on the track and without resorting to the pit wall as the championship finale kicks off this weekend at COTA starting Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix aftermath prompts internal strain

With the Marina Bay event’s doubtless extensive and stressful post-race analyses concluded, McLaren is aiming for a reset. The British driver was likely more than aware of the historical context of his riposte 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 yet the occurrence that provoked his comment differed completely from incidents characterizing Senna's iconic battles.

“If you fault me for simply attempting an inside move of a big gap then you don't belong in F1,” stated Norris regarding his first-lap move to overtake which resulted in their vehicles making contact.

The remark seemed to echo the Brazilian legend's “Should you stop attempting for a gap that exists then you cease to be a true racer” justification he provided to the racing knight after he ploughed into the French champion at Suzuka back in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Parallel mindset but different circumstances

While the spirit remains comparable, the wording marks where parallels stop. Senna later admitted he had no intent to allow Prost beat him at turn one whereas Norris did try to make his pass cleanly at the Marina Bay circuit. In fact, his maneuver was legitimate which received no penalty despite the minor contact he made against his McLaren teammate as he went through. This incident stemmed from him clipping the car driven by Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, immediately declared that Norris gaining the place seemed unjust; the implication being their collision was verboten by team protocols for racing and Norris should be instructed to return the place he had made. McLaren did not do so, yet it demonstrated that during disputes of contention, each would quickly ask to the team to intervene on his behalf.

Squad management and impartiality under scrutiny

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to allow their racers compete one another and to try to maintain strict fairness. Aside from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents over what constitutes fair or unfair – under these conditions, now covers misfortune, strategy and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there is the question of perception.

Of most import to the title race, with six meetings remaining, Piastri leads Norris by twenty-two points, there is what each driver perceives as fair and at what point their opinion may diverge from the team's stance. That is when their friendly rapport between the two could eventually – become a little bit more Senna-Prost.

“It’s going to come to a situation where a few points will matter,” commented Mercedes team principal Wolff after Singapore. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I guess the elbows are going to come out a bit more. That’s when it starts to get interesting.”

Audience expectations and title consequences

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will probably be welcomed as a track duel instead of a data-driven decision regarding incidents. Especially since in Formula One the alternative perception from these events isn't very inspiring.

Honestly speaking, McLaren are making the correct decisions for their interests with successful results. They secured their tenth team championship in Singapore (albeit a brilliant success overshadowed by the controversy from their drivers' clash) and with Stella as squad leader they have an ethical and principled leader who genuinely wants to act correctly.

Sporting integrity versus squad control

Yet having drivers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall to decide matters is unedifying. Their competition should be decided through racing. Luck and destiny will play their part, but better to let them just battle freely and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that every disputed moment will be pored over by the squad to ascertain whether intervention is needed and then cleared up later in private.

The examination will intensify with every occurrence it risks possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Previously, following the team's decision their drivers swap places in Italy due to Norris experiencing a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he was treated unfairly regarding tactics in Budapest, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear about bias also looms.

Squad viewpoint and future challenges

No one wants to see a title endlessly debated because it may be considered that fairness attempts had not been balanced. When asked if he believed the squad had managed to do right toward both racers, Piastri said he believed they had, but mentioned that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“We've had several difficult situations and we discussed various aspects,” he said after Singapore. “But ultimately it's educational with the whole team.”

Six meetings remain. The team has minimal room for error to do their cramming, thus perhaps wiser now to simply close the books and step back from the conflict.