🔗 Share this article

McLaren along with Formula One could do with anything decisive during this championship battle involving Norris and Oscar Piastri getting resolved through on-track action rather than without reference to team orders as the title run-in kicks off this weekend at Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Marina Bay race aftermath leads to team tensions

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s undoubtedly thorough and tense debriefs concluded, the Woking-based squad is aiming for a reset. The British driver was likely more than aware about the historical parallels regarding his retort to his aggrieved teammate during the previous grand prix weekend. In a fiercely contested championship duel with the Australian, that Norris invoked a famous Senna most famous sentiments did not go unnoticed but the incident that provoked his comment was of an entirely different nature to those that defined Senna's iconic battles.

“Should you criticize me for just going on the inside through an opening then you should not be in Formula One,” stated Norris of his opening-lap attempt to pass which resulted in their vehicles making contact.

His comment appeared to paraphrase the Brazilian legend's “Should you stop attempting an available gap that exists you are no longer a true racer” justification he provided to the racing knight after he ploughed into Alain Prost at Suzuka in 1990, securing him the championship.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

While the spirit remains comparable, the wording is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he never intended to allow Prost beat him through the first corner while Norris attempted to execute a clean overtake in Singapore. In fact, his maneuver was legitimate that went unpenalised even with the glancing blow he had with his team colleague as he went through. This incident was a result of him clipping the car driven by Verstappen in front of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, significantly, instantly stated that Norris gaining the place was “unfair”; the implication being their collision was forbidden under McLaren’s rules for racing and Norris should be instructed to give back the place he had made. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that during disputes of contention, each would quickly ask the squad to step in in their favor.

Team dynamics and fairness being examined

This is part and parcel of McLaren’s laudable efforts to let their drivers race against each other and to try to be as scrupulously fair. Quite apart from tying some torturous knots in setting precedents over what constitutes fair or unfair – which, under these auspices, now includes bad luck, tactical calls 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 on fairness and when their perspectives might split with that of the McLaren pitwall. That is when the amicable relationship between the two could eventually – become a little bit more Senna-Prost.

“It’s going to come a point where a few points will matter,” commented Mercedes team principal Wolff post-race. “Then they’ll start to calculate and re-calculations and I suppose the elbows are going to come out further. That's when it begins to become thrilling.”

Viewer desires and championship implications

For the audience, during this dual battle, getting interesting will probably be welcomed as a track duel rather than a data-driven decision regarding incidents. Especially since in Formula One the alternative perception from all this is not particularly rousing.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for their interests with successful results. They clinched their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (though a great achievement overshadowed by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and in Andrea Stella as squad leader they possess a moral and upright commander who genuinely wants to do the right thing.

Sporting integrity versus team management

Yet having drivers competing for the title looking to the pitwall for resolutions is unedifying. Their contest should be decided through racing. Chance and fate will play their part, but better to let them just battle freely and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that each contentious incident will be pored over by the squad to ascertain whether intervention is needed and subsequently resolved later in private.

The scrutiny will intensify and each time it happens it risks potentially making a difference that could be critical. Already, following the team's decision for position swaps in Italy because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri believing he was treated unfairly regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris won, the shadow of concern about bias also looms.

Team perspective and upcoming tests

No one wants to witness a championship endlessly debated because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair were unequal. When asked if he believed the squad had managed to do right toward both racers, Piastri said that they did, but mentioned that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“There’s been some difficult situations and we’ve spoken about various aspects,” he said post-race. “But ultimately it’s a learning process for the entire squad.”

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