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McLaren and Formula One could do with any conclusive outcome in the title fight between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri getting resolved through on-track action and without resorting to team orders as the championship finale begins at the Circuit of the Americas starting Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout leads to internal strain

With the Marina Bay event’s undoubtedly thorough and tense post-race analyses concluded, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a reset. The British driver was likely fully conscious of the historical context regarding his retort toward his upset colleague during the previous race weekend. During an intense championship duel with the Australian, his reference to a famous Senna well-known quotes did not go unnoticed but the incident which triggered his statement differed completely from incidents characterizing the Brazilian’s iconic battles.

“Should you criticize me for just going an inside move through an opening then you don't belong in F1,” stated Norris of his opening-lap attempt to pass which resulted in their vehicles making contact.

His comment appeared to paraphrase Senna’s “If you no longer go for a gap which is there then you cease to be a racing driver” justification he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart following his collision with the French champion in Japan in 1990, securing him the championship.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

While the spirit is similar, 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 at the Marina Bay circuit. Indeed, his maneuver was legitimate which received no penalty despite the minor contact he made against his team colleague during the pass. This incident stemmed from him clipping the Red Bull of Max Verstappen ahead 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 under McLaren’s rules of engagement and Norris ought to be told to return the place he had made. The team refused, but it was indicative that during disputes between them, both will promptly appeal the squad to intervene in their favor.

Team dynamics and impartiality being examined

This comes naturally from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race against each other and to try 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 racing incidents like in Marina Bay – there is the question of perception.

Of most import to the title race, six races left, Piastri is ahead of Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists as fair and when their perspectives might split from the team's stance. Which is when the amicable relationship among them may – finally – become a little bit more Senna-Prost.

“It will reach to a situation where minor points count,” commented Mercedes boss Toto Wolff after Singapore. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I suppose the elbows are going to come out a bit more. That’s when it starts to get interesting.”

Audience expectations and title consequences

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will probably be welcomed as an on-track confrontation instead of a spreadsheet-based arbitration of circumstances. Especially since for F1 the alternative perception from all this isn't very inspiring.

Honestly speaking, McLaren are making the correct decisions for their interests with successful results. They clinched their tenth team championship in Singapore (albeit a brilliant success diminished by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and in Andrea Stella as team principal they possess a moral and upright commander who truly aims to do the right thing.

Racing purity against team management

However, with racers in a championship fight appealing to the team to decide matters appears unsightly. Their competition should be decided through racing. Chance and fate will have roles, but better to let them simply go at it and see how fortune falls, rather than the sense that each contentious incident will be analyzed intensely by the team to determine if they need to intervene and subsequently resolved afterwards behind closed doors.

The examination will intensify and each time it happens it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Already, following the team's decision their drivers swap places in Italy because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri believing he had been hard done by regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris triumphed, the spectre of a fear about bias also emerges.

Squad viewpoint and future challenges

Nobody desires to see a title constantly disputed over perceived that fairness attempts were unequal. Questioned whether 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 various aspects,” he stated after Singapore. “But ultimately it's educational for the entire squad.”

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