🔗 Share this article

McLaren along with Formula One could do with any conclusive outcome in the championship battle involving Norris and Piastri being decided through on-track action and without resorting to team orders as the title run-in kicks off at the Circuit of the Americas starting Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix fallout leads to internal strain

With the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and stressful post-race analyses concluded, McLaren is aiming for a reset. The British driver was almost certainly more than aware about the historical parallels of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate during the previous race weekend. During an intense championship duel against Piastri, that Norris invoked a famous Senna most famous sentiments 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.

“If you fault me for simply attempting on the inside of a big gap then you should not be in Formula One,” Norris said of his opening-lap attempt to pass which resulted in their vehicles making contact.

His comment appeared to paraphrase the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go an available gap which is there you are no longer a racing driver” justification he gave to Sir Jackie Stewart after he ploughed into Alain Prost at Suzuka back in 1990, securing him the championship.

Similar spirit but different circumstances

While the spirit is similar, the phrasing is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he never intended of letting Prost to defeat him at turn one while Norris attempted to execute a clean overtake 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 was a result of him touching the Red Bull driven by Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, significantly, 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. The team refused, but it was indicative that in any cases of contention, both will promptly appeal to the team to intervene in their favor.

Team dynamics and impartiality under scrutiny

This comes naturally from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race one another and strive to be as scrupulously fair. Quite apart from creating complex dilemmas when establishing rules over what constitutes just or unjust – under these conditions, now covers bad luck, tactical calls and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there is the question of perception.

Most crucially for the championship, six races left, Piastri is ahead of Norris by twenty-two points, each racer's view exists as fair and when their perspectives might split with that of the McLaren pitwall. Which is when their friendly rapport among them could eventually – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It’s going to come a point where minor points count,” commented Mercedes boss Toto Wolff after Singapore. “Then they’ll start to calculate and re-calculations and I suppose aggression will increase a bit more. That's when it begins to become thrilling.”

Viewer desires and championship implications

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will likely be appreciated as an on-track confrontation instead of a spreadsheet-based arbitration of circumstances. Especially since for F1 the other impression from these events is not particularly rousing.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for themselves and it has paid off. They secured their 10th constructors’ title in Singapore (albeit a brilliant success diminished by the controversy from their drivers' clash) and with Stella as team principal they have an ethical and principled leader who truly aims to do the right thing.

Sporting integrity versus team management

Yet having drivers in a championship fight appealing to the team for resolutions appears unsightly. Their contest ought to be determined on track. Chance and fate will play their part, yet preferable to allow them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, rather than the sense that each contentious incident will be analyzed intensely by the squad to determine if intervention is needed 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 that could be critical. Already, after the team made their drivers swap places at Monza due to Norris experiencing a delayed stop and Piastri believing he had been hard done by regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris won, the shadow of concern about bias also looms.

Team perspective and future challenges

Nobody desires to see a title constantly disputed over perceived that fairness attempts were unequal. When asked if he felt the team had acted correctly by both drivers, Piastri responded he believed they had, but noted it's a developing process.

“We've had several difficult situations and we discussed various aspects,” he stated after Singapore. “However finally it’s a learning process for the entire squad.”

Six races stay. McLaren have little wriggle room left for last-minute adjustments, so it may be better to just stop analyzing and step back from the conflict.