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The British racing team and F1 could do with any conclusive outcome during this championship battle between Norris & Piastri being decided through on-track action rather than without resorting to team orders with the championship finale begins at the COTA on Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout prompts team tensions

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and stressful debriefs concluded, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a fresh start. The British driver was almost certainly fully conscious of the historical context regarding his retort to his aggrieved teammate at the last grand prix weekend. During an intense championship duel with the Australian, his reference to one of Ayrton Senna’s well-known quotes was lost on no one yet the occurrence that provoked his comment was of an entirely different nature from incidents characterizing Senna's great rivalries.

“Should you criticize me for simply attempting on the inside through an opening then you should not be in F1,” stated Norris regarding his first-lap move to pass which resulted in the cars colliding.

His comment seemed to echo Senna’s “Should you stop attempting for a gap that exists you are no longer a true racer” justification he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart after he ploughed into the French champion in Japan in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Similar spirit yet distinct situations

Although the attitude remains comparable, the phrasing is where the similarities end. Senna later admitted he had no intent of letting Prost beat him at turn one while Norris attempted to make his pass cleanly at the Marina Bay circuit. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort which received no penalty even with the glancing blow he had with his McLaren teammate as he went through. This incident stemmed from him clipping the Red Bull of Max Verstappen ahead of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, significantly, immediately declared that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; suggesting that their collision was forbidden by team protocols of engagement and Norris should be instructed to give back the position he gained. The team refused, but it was indicative that in any cases of contention, both will promptly appeal the squad to intervene on his behalf.

Team dynamics and impartiality being examined

This comes naturally of McLaren’s laudable efforts to allow their racers compete one another and strive to be as scrupulously fair. Quite apart from tying some torturous knots in setting precedents about what defines just or unjust – which, under these auspices, now includes misfortune, strategy and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there remains the issue of perception.

Of most import to the title race, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by twenty-two points, there is what each driver perceives on fairness and at what point their perspectives might split with that of the McLaren pitwall. That is when their friendly rapport among them could eventually – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.

“It will reach a point where minor points count,” commented Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff post-race. “Then calculations will begin and re-calculations and I suppose aggression will increase a bit more. That’s when it starts to become thrilling.”

Audience expectations and championship implications

For spectators, during this dual battle, increased excitement will likely be appreciated as an on-track confrontation rather than a data-driven decision regarding incidents. Not least because in Formula One the alternative perception from these events isn't very inspiring.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for themselves with successful results. They clinched their 10th constructors’ title in Singapore (though a great achievement overshadowed by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and in Andrea Stella as team principal they possess a moral and principled leader who truly aims to do the right thing.

Racing purity against squad control

However, with racers in a championship fight appealing to the team to decide matters is unedifying. Their competition should be decided on track. Luck and destiny will play their part, but better to let them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, rather than the sense that each contentious incident will be pored over by the squad to ascertain whether intervention is needed and subsequently resolved later in private.

The examination will intensify and each time it happens it risks potentially making a difference 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 with the strategy call at Hungary, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear about bias also looms.

Squad viewpoint and future challenges

Nobody desires to see a title constantly disputed because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair had not been balanced. Questioned whether he felt the team had acted correctly by both drivers, Piastri said he believed they had, but mentioned that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“We've had several difficult situations and we’ve spoken about a number of things,” he said after Singapore. “However finally it's educational for the entire squad.”

Six meetings remain. The team has minimal room for error for last-minute adjustments, so it may be better to just close the books and withdraw from the conflict.