Lando Norris as Senna versus Piastri as Prost? Not exactly, but the team needs to pray title is settled on track

The British racing team along with Formula One would benefit from anything decisive in the championship battle involving Norris and Piastri being decided on the track rather than without reference to team orders as the title run-in kicks off at the COTA starting Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix fallout leads to internal strain

With the Marina Bay event’s doubtless extensive and tense post-race analyses dealt with, the Woking-based squad is aiming for a reset. Norris was almost certainly fully conscious of the historical context of his riposte toward his upset colleague at the last grand prix weekend. In a fiercely contested championship duel against Piastri, his reference to a famous Senna most famous sentiments did not go unnoticed yet the occurrence that provoked his comment differed completely to those that defined Senna's iconic battles.

“If you fault me for simply attempting on the inside through an opening then you should not be in F1,” Norris said regarding his first-lap move to pass which resulted in the cars colliding.

His comment seemed to echo the Brazilian legend's “Should you stop attempting an available gap that exists then you cease to be a true racer” justification he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart following his collision with the French champion in Japan back in 1990, securing him the championship.

Similar spirit yet distinct situations

Although the attitude is similar, the wording is where the similarities end. Senna later admitted he had no intent to allow Prost to defeat him through the first corner whereas Norris did try to execute a clean overtake in Singapore. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort that went unpenalised despite the minor contact he had with his McLaren teammate during the pass. That itself was a result of him clipping the Red Bull driven by Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, significantly, instantly stated that Norris gaining the place was “unfair”; the implication being their collision was forbidden by team protocols of engagement and Norris ought to be told to return the position he gained. The team refused, yet it demonstrated that during disputes between them, both will promptly appeal to the team to intervene in their favor.

Squad management and fairness under scrutiny

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race against each other and to try to be as scrupulously fair. Aside from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents about what defines fair or unfair – which, under these auspices, now covers misfortune, tactical calls and racing incidents like in Marina Bay – there remains the issue regarding opinions.

Of most import to the title race, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by twenty-two points, each racer's view exists as fair and at what point their perspectives might split from the team's stance. That is when the amicable relationship among them may – finally – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.

“It’s going to come a point where a few points will matter,” said Mercedes team principal Wolff after Singapore. “Then they’ll start to calculate and re-calculations and I guess the elbows are going to come out further. That's when it begins to become thrilling.”

Audience expectations and championship implications

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, getting interesting will probably be welcomed as a track duel instead of a spreadsheet-based arbitration of circumstances. Not least because for F1 the alternative perception from all this is not particularly rousing.

To be fair, 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 overshadowed by the controversy from the Norris-Piastri moment) and in Andrea Stella as squad leader they possess a moral and principled leader who genuinely wants to do the right thing.

Racing purity against team management

However, with racers competing for the title looking to the pitwall for resolutions appears unsightly. Their contest ought to be determined on track. Luck and destiny will have roles, yet preferable to allow 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 intervention is needed and subsequently resolved afterwards behind closed doors.

The examination will intensify and each time it happens it risks possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Already, after the team made their drivers swap places at Monza because Norris had endured a delayed stop and Piastri believing he had been hard done by with the strategy call at Hungary, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also looms.

Team perspective and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to witness a championship constantly disputed because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair were unequal. Questioned whether he believed the squad had managed to do right toward both racers, Piastri said that they did, but mentioned it's a developing process.

“There’s been some challenging moments and we’ve spoken about various aspects,” he stated post-race. “However finally it’s a learning process for the entire squad.”

Six races stay. McLaren have little room for error for last-minute adjustments, so it may be better now to simply stop analyzing and withdraw from the fray.