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The British racing team and F1 would benefit from any conclusive outcome during this championship battle between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri getting resolved through on-track action rather than without reference to team orders as the championship finale kicks off this weekend at COTA on Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout prompts internal strain

After the Marina Bay event’s undoubtedly thorough and stressful post-race analyses concluded, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a fresh start. Norris was likely more than aware about the historical parallels of his riposte toward his upset colleague during the previous grand prix weekend. During an intense title fight with the Australian, that Norris invoked one of Ayrton Senna’s well-known quotes did not go unnoticed yet the occurrence which triggered his statement was of an entirely different nature to those that defined Senna's iconic battles.

“If you fault me for just going an inside move through an opening then you should not be in Formula One,” Norris said of his opening-lap attempt to overtake which resulted in the cars colliding.

His comment seemed to echo Senna’s “If you no longer go for a gap which is there then you cease to be a true racer” justification he gave to Sir Jackie Stewart following his collision with Alain Prost at Suzuka back in 1990, ensuring he took the championship.

Similar spirit yet distinct situations

Although the attitude is similar, the phrasing marks where parallels stop. Senna later admitted he never intended to allow Prost to defeat him at turn one while Norris attempted to make his pass cleanly at the Marina Bay circuit. In fact, his maneuver was legitimate that went unpenalised despite the minor contact he had with his McLaren teammate as he went through. That itself stemmed from him clipping the Red Bull driven by Verstappen in front of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, notably, immediately declared that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; suggesting that their collision was verboten by team protocols for racing and Norris ought to be told to return the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, yet it demonstrated that in any cases between them, each would quickly ask to the team to intervene in their favor.

Team dynamics and fairness being examined

This comes naturally of McLaren’s laudable efforts to let their drivers race one another and strive to maintain strict fairness. Aside from creating complex dilemmas when establishing rules over what constitutes fair or unfair – under these conditions, now covers bad luck, tactical calls and racing incidents like in Marina Bay – there is the question regarding opinions.

Most crucially for the championship, six races left, Piastri is ahead of Norris by twenty-two points, there is what each driver perceives as fair and when their perspectives might split from the team's stance. That is when their friendly rapport among them could eventually – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.

“It’s going to come a point where minor points count,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff post-race. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I suppose aggression will increase a bit more. That’s when it starts to become thrilling.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

For the audience, in what is a two-horse race, getting interesting will probably be welcomed in the form of an on-track confrontation instead of a spreadsheet-based arbitration of circumstances. Not least because for F1 the alternative perception from these events isn't very inspiring.

Honestly speaking, McLaren are making appropriate choices for their interests and it has paid off. They clinched their tenth team championship in Singapore (albeit a brilliant success overshadowed by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and with Stella as squad leader they have an ethical and upright commander who genuinely wants to act correctly.

Racing purity versus team management

However, with racers competing for the title looking to the pitwall for resolutions is unedifying. Their contest ought to be determined on track. Chance and fate will have roles, yet preferable to allow them simply go at it and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that every disputed moment will be analyzed intensely by the squad to ascertain whether they need to intervene and then cleared up afterwards behind closed doors.

The examination will intensify and each time it happens it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Previously, following the team's decision their drivers swap places in Italy due to Norris experiencing a slow pit stop and Piastri feeling he was treated unfairly with the strategy call at Hungary, where Norris triumphed, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also emerges.

Team perspective and future challenges

No one wants to see a title constantly disputed because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair were unequal. When asked if he felt the team had managed to do right toward both racers, Piastri said that they did, but noted it's a developing process.

“There’s been some challenging moments and we discussed various aspects,” he said after Singapore. “However finally it’s a learning process with the whole team.”

Six meetings remain. McLaren have little room for error for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser to just close the books and step back from the fray.