🔗 Share this article

McLaren along with F1 could do with any conclusive outcome during this title fight between Norris & Piastri being decided on the track and without reference to the pit wall with the title run-in begins at the Circuit of the Americas starting Friday.

Marina Bay race aftermath leads to team tensions

With the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and tense debriefs dealt with, McLaren is aiming for a fresh start. The British driver was almost certainly more than aware about the historical parallels regarding his retort toward his upset colleague during the previous race weekend. In a fiercely contested championship duel against Piastri, that Norris invoked a famous Senna most famous sentiments did not go unnoticed yet the occurrence which triggered his statement differed completely to those that defined the Brazilian’s iconic battles.

“Should you criticize me for just going an inside move 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 seemed to echo Senna’s “Should you stop attempting an available gap that exists you are no longer a racing driver” justification he gave to Sir Jackie Stewart following his collision with the French champion in Japan back in 1990, securing him the championship.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

Although the attitude is similar, the wording is where the similarities end. Senna later admitted he had no intent of letting Prost to defeat him through the first corner whereas Norris attempted to execute a clean overtake at the Marina Bay circuit. Indeed, his maneuver was legitimate which received no penalty even with the glancing blow he had with his team colleague during the pass. That itself stemmed from him clipping the car of Max Verstappen in front of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, notably, immediately declared that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; suggesting that the two teammates clashing 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 during disputes of contention, each would quickly ask to the team to step in in their favor.

Squad management and impartiality being examined

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race one another and to try to be as scrupulously fair. Aside from creating complex dilemmas when establishing rules about what defines fair or unfair – which, under these auspices, now includes bad luck, strategy and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there is the question regarding opinions.

Of most import for the championship, six races left, Piastri is ahead of Norris by twenty-two points, each racer's view exists on fairness and when their opinion may diverge with that of the McLaren pitwall. Which is when the amicable relationship among them may – finally – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It’s going to come a point where a few points will matter,” commented Mercedes boss Toto Wolff post-race. “Then calculations will begin and re-calculations and I guess the elbows are going to come out a bit more. That’s when it starts to become thrilling.”

Audience expectations and title consequences

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will likely be appreciated as a track duel instead of a spreadsheet-based arbitration regarding incidents. Not least because for F1 the alternative perception from these events is not particularly rousing.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for themselves and it has paid off. They clinched their tenth team championship at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success diminished by the controversy from the Norris-Piastri moment) and with Stella as squad leader they have an ethical and upright commander who genuinely wants to do the right thing.

Sporting integrity against team management

Yet having drivers in a championship fight appealing to the team for resolutions is unedifying. Their contest should be decided on track. Chance and fate will have roles, but better to let them simply go at it and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that each contentious incident will be analyzed intensely 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 risks potentially making a difference which might prove decisive. Already, after the team made their drivers swap places in Italy because Norris had endured a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by with the strategy call in Budapest, where Norris won, the shadow of concern about bias also looms.

Squad viewpoint and future challenges

Nobody desires to witness a championship constantly disputed because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair had not been balanced. Questioned whether 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.

“We've had several difficult situations and we’ve spoken about a number of things,” he stated after Singapore. “However finally it’s a learning process with the whole team.”

Six meetings remain. McLaren have little room for error to do their cramming, so it may be better to just stop analyzing and withdraw from the fray.