🔗 Share this article

The British racing team along with Formula One could do with any conclusive outcome in the championship battle between Lando Norris & Oscar Piastri getting resolved on the track rather than without reference to team orders as the title run-in begins at the COTA starting Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix fallout prompts team tensions

With the Marina Bay event’s undoubtedly thorough and stressful post-race analyses dealt with, McLaren is aiming for a reset. The British driver was likely fully conscious about the historical parallels of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate at the last race weekend. During an intense title fight against Piastri, his reference to a famous Senna most famous sentiments was lost on no one but the incident that provoked his comment was of an entirely different nature to those that defined the Brazilian’s iconic battles.

“Should you criticize me for simply attempting an inside move through an opening then you should not be in F1,” stated Norris of his opening-lap attempt to pass which resulted in the cars colliding.

His comment seemed to echo the Brazilian legend's “Should you stop attempting an available gap which is there you are no longer a true racer” justification he provided to the racing knight after he ploughed into the French champion in Japan back in 1990, securing him the title.

Similar spirit yet distinct situations

Although the attitude remains comparable, the wording is where the similarities end. Senna later admitted he never intended to allow Prost beat him at turn one whereas Norris did try to make his pass cleanly in Singapore. Indeed, his maneuver was legitimate that went unpenalised even with the glancing blow he made against his team colleague as he went through. This incident was a result of him touching the car driven by Verstappen in front of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, notably, immediately declared that Norris gaining the place seemed unjust; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was verboten by team protocols of engagement and Norris ought to be told to give back the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that in any cases between them, both will promptly appeal to the team to step in in their favor.

Squad management and fairness 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. Aside from tying some torturous knots when establishing rules over what constitutes fair or unfair – which, under these auspices, now covers misfortune, tactical calls and on-track occurrences such as in Singapore – there remains the issue regarding opinions.

Of most import to the title race, with six meetings remaining, Piastri is ahead of Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists as fair and when their opinion may diverge from the team's stance. That is when the amicable relationship among them could eventually – become a little bit more Senna-Prost.

“It will reach to a situation where a few points will matter,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff after Singapore. “Then they’ll start to calculate and back-calculate and I suppose aggression will increase a bit more. That's when it begins to become thrilling.”

Audience expectations and championship implications

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will probably be welcomed as a track duel rather than a spreadsheet-based arbitration of circumstances. Not least because for F1 the other impression from all this isn't very inspiring.

To be fair, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for themselves and it has paid off. They clinched their tenth team championship in Singapore (though a great achievement overshadowed by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and with Stella as team principal they possess a moral and principled leader who genuinely wants to do the right thing.

Racing purity versus squad control

Yet having drivers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall to decide matters is unedifying. Their competition should be decided through racing. Luck and destiny will have roles, but better to let them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, than the impression that every disputed moment will be analyzed intensely by the team to ascertain whether intervention is needed and subsequently resolved later in private.

The scrutiny will increase and each time it happens it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Already, after the team made their drivers swap places 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 of favouritism also looms.

Team perspective and future challenges

No one wants to see a title endlessly debated 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 responded he believed they had, but mentioned that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“We've had several challenging moments and we’ve spoken about a number of things,” he stated post-race. “However finally it's educational for the entire squad.”

Six races stay. The team has minimal wriggle room left to do their cramming, so it may be better to just close the books and step back from the fray.