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The British racing team and F1 would benefit from any conclusive outcome during this championship battle involving Norris and Oscar Piastri being decided on the track and without reference to team orders as the title run-in begins this weekend at COTA starting Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix aftermath leads to team tensions

With the Marina Bay event’s undoubtedly thorough and tense post-race analyses concluded, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a fresh start. Norris was likely fully conscious about the historical parallels regarding his retort to his aggrieved teammate at the last grand prix weekend. During an intense championship duel with the Australian, that Norris invoked one of Ayrton Senna’s most famous sentiments was lost on no one but the incident which triggered his statement differed completely to those that defined the Brazilian’s great rivalries.

“Should you criticize me for just going an inside move of a big gap then you don't belong in F1,” stated Norris of his opening-lap attempt to pass that led to the cars colliding.

The remark seemed to echo the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go an available gap that exists you are no longer a true racer” justification he provided to the racing knight following his collision with the French champion in Japan in 1990, securing him the championship.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

While the spirit remains comparable, the phrasing marks where parallels stop. Senna later admitted he never intended to allow Prost to defeat him at turn one whereas Norris attempted to execute a clean overtake at the Marina Bay circuit. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort which received no penalty despite the minor contact he had with his McLaren teammate during the pass. That itself stemmed from him touching the Red Bull driven by Verstappen in front of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, significantly, instantly stated that Norris gaining the place was “unfair”; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was forbidden under McLaren’s rules of engagement and Norris ought to be told to return the place he had made. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that during disputes of contention, both will promptly appeal to the team to step in on his behalf.

Team dynamics and fairness being examined

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

Most crucially for the championship, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by twenty-two points, there is what each driver perceives as fair and when 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 to a situation where a few points will matter,” commented Mercedes team principal Wolff post-race. “Then they’ll start to calculate and re-calculations and I guess the elbows are going to come out further. That's when it begins to get interesting.”

Audience expectations and championship implications

For the audience, during this dual battle, increased excitement will probably be welcomed as an on-track confrontation rather than a data-driven decision of circumstances. Especially since for F1 the other impression from all this is not particularly rousing.

Honestly speaking, McLaren are making the correct decisions for themselves and it has paid off. They clinched their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success overshadowed by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and with Stella as squad leader they possess a moral and upright commander who truly aims to act correctly.

Racing purity against team management

Yet having drivers competing for the title appealing to the team to decide matters appears unsightly. Their competition ought to be determined through racing. Chance and fate will have roles, yet preferable to allow them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, than the impression that every disputed moment will be pored over by the squad to determine if they need to intervene and then cleared up later in private.

The scrutiny will intensify and each time it happens it risks potentially making a difference which might prove decisive. Previously, after the team made their drivers swap places in Italy because Norris had endured a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he was treated unfairly regarding tactics in Budapest, where Norris won, the shadow of concern of favouritism also looms.

Squad viewpoint and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to see a title constantly disputed because it may be considered that fairness attempts were unequal. When asked if he believed the squad had managed to do right toward both racers, Piastri responded that they did, but noted that it was an ever-evolving approach.

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

Six meetings remain. The team has minimal room for error to do their cramming, thus perhaps wiser now to simply stop analyzing and step back from the fray.