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The British racing team and Formula One would benefit from anything decisive during this title fight involving Lando Norris & Piastri being decided through on-track action and without reference to the pit wall with the championship finale kicks off at the COTA starting Friday.

Marina Bay race fallout leads to internal strain

With the Marina Bay event’s undoubtedly thorough and tense post-race analyses dealt with, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a reset. The British driver was likely more than aware about the historical parallels of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate at the last race weekend. In a fiercely contested title fight with the Australian, his reference to one of Ayrton Senna’s most famous sentiments was lost on no one yet the occurrence which triggered his statement differed completely to those that defined Senna's great rivalries.

“Should you criticize me for simply attempting on the inside of a big gap then you should not be in F1,” Norris said of his opening-lap attempt to pass that led to the cars colliding.

His comment seemed to echo Senna’s “Should you stop attempting for a gap which is there you are no longer a true racer” defence he provided to the racing knight following his collision with the French champion at Suzuka back in 1990, securing him the championship.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

While the spirit is similar, the wording is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he never intended to allow Prost beat him at turn one while Norris did try to execute a clean overtake at the Marina Bay circuit. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort which received no penalty even with the glancing blow he had with his team colleague during the pass. That itself was a result of him touching the car driven by Verstappen in front of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, notably, instantly stated that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; the implication being the two teammates clashing was verboten under McLaren’s rules of engagement and Norris should be instructed to give back the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, yet it demonstrated that in any cases between them, both will promptly appeal to the team to intervene in their favor.

Team dynamics and fairness under scrutiny

This comes naturally of McLaren’s laudable efforts to allow their racers compete one another and strive to be as scrupulously fair. Aside from tying some torturous knots in setting precedents over what constitutes just or unjust – under these conditions, now covers bad luck, strategy and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there is the question regarding opinions.

Most crucially to the title race, with six meetings remaining, Piastri leads Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists as fair and when their perspectives might split from the team's stance. That is when their friendly rapport between the two may – finally – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It will reach a point where a few points will matter,” said Mercedes boss 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 begins to get interesting.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

For spectators, during this dual battle, increased excitement will probably be welcomed in the form of a track duel rather than a spreadsheet-based arbitration regarding incidents. Not least because in Formula One the other impression from these events isn't very inspiring.

Honestly speaking, McLaren are making appropriate choices for their interests with successful results. They secured their 10th constructors’ title in Singapore (albeit a brilliant success diminished by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and with Stella as squad leader they have an ethical and principled leader who genuinely wants to do the right thing.

Sporting integrity against team management

Yet having drivers competing for the title looking to the pitwall for resolutions is unedifying. Their contest ought to be determined through racing. Chance and fate will have roles, but better to let them just battle freely and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that each contentious incident will be analyzed intensely by the team to determine if they need to intervene and then cleared up later in private.

The scrutiny will intensify with every occurrence it risks potentially making a difference which might prove decisive. Previously, after the team made their drivers swap places at Monza due to Norris experiencing a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by with the strategy call at Hungary, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear about bias also looms.

Squad viewpoint and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to witness a championship endlessly debated over perceived 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 he believed they had, but mentioned it's a developing process.

“We've had several difficult situations and we discussed a number of things,” he stated post-race. “But ultimately it’s a learning process with the whole team.”

Six races stay. McLaren have little wriggle room left to do their cramming, thus perhaps wiser to just stop analyzing and withdraw from the fray.