🔗 Share this article

McLaren and Formula One could do with anything decisive during this title fight involving Norris and Oscar Piastri being decided through on-track action and without resorting to the pit wall with the title run-in begins at the COTA on Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix aftermath prompts team tensions

With the Marina Bay event’s undoubtedly thorough and tense debriefs dealt with, McLaren is aiming for a fresh start. The British driver was almost certainly more than aware about the historical parallels of his riposte toward his upset colleague during the previous race weekend. During an intense championship duel against Piastri, his reference to a famous Senna most famous sentiments did not go unnoticed but the incident 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 don't belong in Formula One,” Norris said of his opening-lap attempt to pass that led to their vehicles making contact.

The remark appeared to paraphrase the Brazilian legend's “If you no longer go an available gap that exists then you cease to be a true racer” defence he provided to the racing knight following his collision with Alain Prost at Suzuka in 1990, securing him the title.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

While the spirit is similar, the phrasing is where the similarities end. Senna later admitted he never intended of letting Prost beat him through the first corner whereas Norris did try to execute a clean overtake at the Marina Bay circuit. In fact, his maneuver was legitimate that went unpenalised even with the glancing blow he had with his team colleague as he went through. That itself was a result of him touching the Red Bull of Max Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, significantly, immediately declared that Norris's position gain was “unfair”; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was verboten under McLaren’s rules for racing and Norris should be instructed to return the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that during disputes of contention, each would quickly ask the squad to step in in their favor.

Squad management and fairness being examined

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race one another and strive to be as scrupulously fair. Quite apart from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents about what defines fair or unfair – under these conditions, now covers bad luck, strategy and racing incidents like in Marina Bay – there remains the issue of perception.

Most crucially to the title race, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by twenty-two points, there is what each driver perceives as fair and at what point their perspectives might split with that of the McLaren pitwall. Which is when their friendly rapport among them may – finally – become a little bit more the iconic rivalry.

“It’s going to come to a situation where a few points will matter,” said Mercedes team principal Wolff after Singapore. “Then calculations will begin and re-calculations and I suppose aggression will increase further. That’s when it starts to become thrilling.”

Audience expectations and championship implications

For spectators, during this dual battle, increased excitement will likely be appreciated as a track duel rather than a spreadsheet-based arbitration regarding incidents. Especially since in Formula One the alternative perception from all this isn't very inspiring.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for their interests with successful results. They secured their 10th constructors’ title in Singapore (though a great achievement diminished by the fuss prompted by the Norris-Piastri moment) and with Stella as squad leader they possess a moral and upright commander who truly aims to act correctly.

Sporting integrity versus squad control

Yet having drivers in a championship fight appealing to the team to decide matters is unedifying. Their competition should be decided through racing. Chance and fate will play their part, yet preferable to allow them just battle freely and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that every disputed moment will be pored over by the squad to ascertain whether intervention is needed and then cleared up afterwards behind closed doors.

The examination will intensify with every occurrence it risks possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Already, after the team made their drivers swap places in Italy due to Norris experiencing a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by with the strategy call in Budapest, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also looms.

Team perspective and upcoming tests

No one wants to see a title constantly disputed over perceived that the efforts to be fair had not been balanced. Questioned whether he believed the squad had acted correctly by both drivers, Piastri responded that they did, but noted that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“There’s been some challenging moments and we’ve spoken about a number of things,” he said post-race. “But ultimately it’s a learning process for the entire squad.”

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