🔗 Share this article

The British racing team along with F1 would benefit from anything decisive during this championship battle involving Norris and Oscar Piastri being decided through on-track action and without resorting to team orders with the championship finale kicks off at the COTA on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix fallout prompts internal strain

With the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and stressful post-race analyses concluded, the Woking-based squad is aiming for a reset. Norris was likely fully conscious about the historical parallels of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate at the last grand prix weekend. During an intense title fight with the Australian, that Norris invoked a famous Senna well-known quotes was lost on no one yet the occurrence that provoked his comment differed completely from incidents characterizing Senna's iconic battles.

“If you fault me for just going an inside move through an opening then you should not be in Formula One,” stated Norris regarding his first-lap move to pass that led to their vehicles making contact.

His comment appeared to paraphrase the Brazilian legend's “Should you stop attempting for a gap which is there you are no longer a racing driver” justification he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart after he ploughed into the French champion in Japan back in 1990, securing him the title.

Similar spirit but different circumstances

While the spirit is similar, the phrasing is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he had no intent of letting Prost to defeat him through the first corner whereas Norris did try to execute a clean overtake in Singapore. In fact, his maneuver was legitimate that went unpenalised even with the glancing blow he made against his McLaren teammate as he went through. This incident was a result of him clipping the Red Bull of Max Verstappen in front of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, notably, instantly stated that Norris gaining the place seemed unjust; the implication being the two teammates clashing was forbidden by team protocols 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 between them, each would quickly ask the squad to intervene in their favor.

Team dynamics and fairness under scrutiny

This comes naturally from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race one another and strive to maintain strict fairness. Aside from tying some torturous knots in setting precedents over what constitutes just or unjust – under these conditions, now covers bad luck, tactical calls and on-track occurrences such as in Singapore – there is the question of perception.

Of most import for the championship, six races left, Piastri is ahead of Norris by 22 points, there is what each driver perceives as fair and when their opinion may diverge with that of the McLaren pitwall. Which is when their friendly rapport among them may – finally – become a little bit more Senna-Prost.

“It will reach a point where minor points count,” commented Mercedes boss Toto Wolff after Singapore. “Then they’ll start to calculate and back-calculate and I guess aggression will increase further. That's when it begins to become thrilling.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

For the audience, in what is a two-horse race, increased excitement will probably be welcomed in the form of a track duel instead of a spreadsheet-based arbitration of circumstances. Not least because in Formula One the alternative perception from these events is not particularly rousing.

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 diminished by the fuss prompted by their drivers' clash) and in Andrea Stella as team principal they possess a moral and principled leader who genuinely wants to do the right thing.

Racing purity against team management

However, with racers in a championship fight appealing to the team for resolutions appears unsightly. Their competition should be decided on track. Luck and destiny will play their part, but better to let them simply go at it and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that each contentious incident will be analyzed intensely by the team to determine if intervention is needed and subsequently resolved afterwards behind closed doors.

The examination will increase with every occurrence it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Already, following the team's decision their drivers swap places at Monza due to Norris experiencing a slow pit stop and Piastri believing he was treated unfairly with the strategy call at Hungary, where Norris triumphed, the shadow of concern of favouritism also looms.

Squad viewpoint and future challenges

Nobody desires to witness a championship constantly disputed because it may be considered that fairness attempts had not been balanced. Questioned whether he believed the squad had managed to do right toward both racers, Piastri responded that they did, but mentioned that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“There’s been some challenging moments and we discussed a number of things,” he stated after Singapore. “But ultimately it’s a learning process for the entire squad.”

Six meetings remain. McLaren have little wriggle room left for last-minute adjustments, so it may be better to just stop analyzing and step back from the fray.