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The British racing team and Formula One could do with any conclusive outcome during this championship battle between Norris & Oscar Piastri being decided on the track rather than without resorting to team orders with the title run-in kicks off this weekend at Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix aftermath prompts team tensions

With the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and tense debriefs dealt with, McLaren is aiming for a reset. Norris was almost certainly more than aware about the historical parallels of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate at the last grand prix weekend. In a fiercely contested title fight against Piastri, his reference to a famous Senna well-known quotes was lost on no one but the incident that provoked his comment was of an entirely different nature to those that defined Senna's great rivalries.

“If you fault me for simply attempting an inside move of a big gap then you should not be in F1,” stated Norris regarding his first-lap move to overtake which resulted in the cars colliding.

His comment seemed to echo the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go for a gap which is there you are no longer a true racer” justification he gave to Sir Jackie Stewart after he ploughed into Alain Prost in Japan in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Parallel mindset 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 whereas Norris did try to make his pass cleanly in Singapore. In fact, his maneuver was legitimate which received no penalty despite the minor contact he had with his team colleague as he went through. That itself was a result of him touching the Red Bull of Max Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, immediately declared that Norris's position gain was “unfair”; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was forbidden under McLaren’s rules of engagement and Norris should be instructed to give back the position he gained. The team refused, yet it demonstrated that in any cases between them, each would quickly ask to the team to step in on his behalf.

Squad management and impartiality being examined

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to allow their racers compete one another and strive to maintain strict fairness. Quite apart from creating complex dilemmas when establishing rules over what constitutes just or unjust – under these conditions, now includes misfortune, tactical calls and on-track occurrences like in Marina Bay – there remains the issue regarding opinions.

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. That is when their friendly rapport between the two could eventually – become a little bit more the iconic rivalry.

“It will reach to a situation where a few points will matter,” said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff post-race. “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 become thrilling.”

Audience expectations and championship implications

For the audience, in what is a two-horse race, getting interesting will probably be welcomed in the form of an on-track confrontation rather than a data-driven decision of circumstances. Not least because for F1 the other impression from all this isn't very inspiring.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for themselves with successful results. They secured their 10th constructors’ title in Singapore (albeit a brilliant success 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 act correctly.

Racing purity versus squad control

Yet having drivers in a championship fight appealing to the team for resolutions appears unsightly. Their contest should be decided on track. Luck and destiny will have roles, yet preferable to allow them simply go at it and see how fortune falls, than the impression that every disputed moment will be pored over by the squad to ascertain whether they need to intervene and then cleared up later in private.

The examination will intensify and each time it happens it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes that could be critical. Already, following the team's decision their drivers swap places at Monza because Norris had endured a delayed stop and Piastri believing he was treated unfairly with the strategy call at Hungary, where Norris triumphed, the shadow of concern of favouritism also emerges.

Team perspective and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to witness a championship constantly disputed over perceived that the efforts to be fair were unequal. When asked if he believed the squad had acted correctly toward both racers, Piastri said that they did, 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 a learning process for the entire squad.”

Six races stay. McLaren have little wriggle room left to do their cramming, so it may be better to just close the books and withdraw from the fray.