🔗 Share this article

The British racing team along with Formula One would benefit from any conclusive outcome during this title fight involving Lando Norris & Piastri being decided on the track rather than without resorting to team orders as the championship finale kicks off this weekend at COTA starting Friday.

Marina Bay race aftermath prompts team tensions

After the Marina Bay event’s doubtless extensive and stressful debriefs concluded, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a reset. The British driver was likely fully conscious of the historical context of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate at the last grand prix weekend. In a fiercely contested title fight 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 on the inside of a big gap then you should not be in F1,” Norris said regarding his first-lap move to pass that led to the cars colliding.

The remark appeared to paraphrase Senna’s “If you no longer go for a gap that exists you are no longer a racing driver” justification he gave to the racing knight following his collision with the French champion at Suzuka back in 1990, securing him the title.

Similar spirit yet distinct situations

While the spirit is similar, the wording marks where parallels stop. Senna later admitted 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, it was a perfectly valid effort that went unpenalised even with the glancing blow he had with his team colleague during the pass. This incident stemmed from him clipping the car of Max Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, significantly, immediately declared that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was forbidden under McLaren’s rules of engagement and Norris ought to be told to return the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, yet it demonstrated that in any cases of contention, each would quickly ask to the team to intervene on his behalf.

Team dynamics and fairness under scrutiny

This is part and parcel of McLaren’s laudable efforts to let their drivers race one another and strive to be as scrupulously fair. Aside from tying some torturous knots when establishing rules over what constitutes just or unjust – which, under these auspices, now includes bad luck, tactical calls and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there is the question regarding opinions.

Most crucially for the championship, with six meetings remaining, Piastri is ahead of Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists as fair and at what point their perspectives might split with that of the McLaren pitwall. Which is when the amicable relationship among them may – finally – become a little bit more the iconic rivalry.

“It will reach to a situation where minor points count,” commented Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff after Singapore. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I guess aggression will increase a bit more. That's when it begins to get interesting.”

Viewer desires and championship implications

For spectators, during this dual battle, getting interesting will likely be appreciated in the form of an on-track confrontation rather than a spreadsheet-based arbitration regarding incidents. Not least because in Formula One the other impression from all this isn't very inspiring.

Honestly speaking, McLaren are making 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 in Andrea Stella as squad leader they have an ethical and principled leader who truly aims to act correctly.

Sporting integrity versus squad control

However, with racers in a championship fight appealing to the team to decide matters appears unsightly. Their contest should be decided through racing. Luck and destiny 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 analyzed intensely by the squad to ascertain whether they need to intervene and subsequently resolved later in private.

The scrutiny will increase and each time it happens it risks potentially making a difference which might prove decisive. Already, following the team's decision for position swaps in Italy because Norris had endured a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he was treated unfairly regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris won, the shadow of concern of favouritism also looms.

Squad viewpoint and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to witness a championship constantly disputed over perceived that fairness attempts had not been balanced. Questioned whether he believed the squad had managed to do right by both drivers, Piastri responded he believed they had, but mentioned that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“There’s been some challenging moments and we discussed various aspects,” he stated after Singapore. “However finally it's educational for the entire squad.”

Six meetings remain. McLaren have little wriggle room left to do their cramming, so it may be better now to simply close the books and step back from the fray.