🔗 Share this article

McLaren and F1 could do with anything decisive in the title fight involving Norris & Piastri getting resolved through on-track action rather than without resorting to the pit wall with the championship finale kicks off this weekend at Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Marina Bay race aftermath prompts 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 fresh start. Norris was almost certainly more than aware of the historical context regarding his retort toward his upset colleague during the previous grand prix weekend. During an intense championship duel with the Australian, his reference to a famous Senna well-known quotes was lost on no one yet the occurrence which triggered his statement was of an entirely different nature from incidents characterizing Senna's iconic battles.

“If you fault me for simply attempting an inside move of a big gap then you should not be in Formula One,” stated Norris regarding his first-lap move to overtake which resulted in the cars colliding.

His comment seemed to echo Senna’s “Should you stop attempting an available gap which is there then you cease to be a racing driver” defence he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart following his collision with Alain Prost in Japan back in 1990, securing him the title.

Parallel mindset but different circumstances

Although the attitude is similar, the wording is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he never intended of letting Prost beat him at turn one while Norris did try to make his pass cleanly in Singapore. In fact, it was a perfectly valid effort that went unpenalised despite the minor contact he had with his team colleague during the pass. That itself 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 was “unfair”; the implication being their collision was verboten by team protocols of engagement and Norris should be instructed to return the position he gained. McLaren did not do so, but it was indicative that in any cases between them, both will promptly appeal to the team to step in in their favor.

Team dynamics and fairness under scrutiny

This is part and parcel from McLaren's commendable approach to let their drivers race one another and to try to be as scrupulously fair. Quite apart from tying some torturous knots in setting precedents about what defines just or unjust – which, under these auspices, now includes misfortune, tactical calls and racing incidents like in Marina Bay – there is the question regarding opinions.

Of most import to the title race, six races left, Piastri is ahead of Norris by 22 points, there is what each driver perceives on fairness and when their perspectives might split with that of the McLaren pitwall. That is when the amicable relationship between the two may – finally – turn somewhat into the iconic rivalry.

“It will reach a point where minor points count,” commented Mercedes team principal Wolff after Singapore. “Then calculations will begin and re-calculations and I guess aggression will increase a bit more. That's when it begins to become thrilling.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

For the audience, during this dual battle, getting interesting will probably be welcomed in the form of an on-track confrontation instead of a data-driven decision regarding incidents. Especially since in Formula One the alternative perception from these events is not particularly rousing.

Honestly speaking, McLaren is taking the correct decisions for themselves and it has paid off. They secured their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (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 squad control

Yet having drivers in a championship fight appealing to the team for resolutions is unedifying. Their contest ought to be determined through racing. 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 pored over by the squad to determine if they need to intervene and subsequently resolved later in private.

The scrutiny will increase and each time it happens 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 slow pit stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by with the strategy call in Budapest, where Norris triumphed, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also emerges.

Team perspective and future challenges

Nobody desires to witness a championship endlessly debated because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair had not been balanced. Questioned whether he believed the squad had acted correctly by both drivers, Piastri said that they did, but noted that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“There’s been some difficult situations and we’ve spoken about various aspects,” he stated post-race. “However finally it’s a learning process with the whole team.”

Six meetings remain. The team has minimal room for error to do their cramming, thus perhaps wiser to just close the books and withdraw from the conflict.