Norris compared to Ayrton Senna and Oscar Piastri likened to Alain Prost? No, however the team must hope title is settled through racing

The British racing team along with F1 could do with anything decisive during this title fight involving Lando Norris and Piastri getting resolved through on-track action rather than without resorting to the pit wall as the championship finale begins this weekend at Circuit of the Americas starting Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix fallout leads to internal strain

After the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and tense post-race analyses concluded, McLaren is aiming for a fresh start. Norris was almost certainly more than aware about the historical parallels of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate during the previous race weekend. During an intense title fight with the Australian, his reference to one of Ayrton Senna’s well-known quotes did not go unnoticed but the incident which triggered his statement differed completely to those that defined Senna's iconic battles.

“Should you criticize me for simply attempting an inside move through an opening then you should not be in F1,” Norris said of his opening-lap attempt to overtake which resulted in the cars colliding.

The remark appeared to paraphrase the Brazilian legend's “Should you stop attempting for a gap that exists you are no longer a true racer” justification he gave to Sir Jackie Stewart following his collision with Alain Prost at Suzuka in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Parallel mindset but different circumstances

While the spirit remains comparable, the phrasing is where the similarities end. Senna later admitted he never intended of letting Prost beat him through the first corner while Norris attempted to execute a clean overtake in Singapore. Indeed, his maneuver was legitimate that went unpenalised even with the glancing blow he had with his McLaren teammate as he went through. That itself was a result of him touching the car of Max Verstappen ahead of him.

Piastri reacted furiously and, significantly, immediately declared that Norris gaining the place was “unfair”; the implication being their collision was forbidden by team protocols for racing and Norris should be instructed to give back the place he had made. The team refused, yet it demonstrated that in any cases of contention, each would quickly ask the squad to intervene in their favor.

Squad management and impartiality being examined

This comes naturally of McLaren’s laudable efforts to allow their racers compete against each other and to try to maintain strict fairness. Aside from tying some torturous knots when establishing rules about what defines fair or unfair – under these conditions, now covers bad luck, tactical calls and on-track occurrences like in Marina Bay – there remains the issue of perception.

Of most import to the title race, with six meetings remaining, Piastri is ahead of Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists on fairness and at what point their opinion may diverge from the team's stance. Which is when their friendly rapport between the two could eventually – become a little bit more the iconic rivalry.

“It’s going to come a point where minor points count,” said Mercedes team principal Wolff after Singapore. “Then calculations will begin and back-calculate and I suppose aggression will increase a bit more. That’s when it starts to get interesting.”

Viewer desires and title consequences

For spectators, in what is a two-horse race, getting interesting will probably be welcomed as an on-track confrontation rather than a spreadsheet-based arbitration regarding incidents. Especially since for F1 the alternative perception from these events isn't very inspiring.

To be fair, McLaren are making appropriate choices for their interests and it has paid off. They clinched their 10th constructors’ title at Marina Bay (though a great achievement overshadowed by the controversy from the Norris-Piastri moment) and in Andrea Stella as squad leader they possess a moral and principled leader who truly aims to act correctly.

Sporting integrity versus squad control

Yet having drivers competing for the title looking to the pitwall for resolutions is unedifying. Their competition ought to be determined through racing. Chance and fate will play their part, but better to let them just battle freely and see how fortune falls, than the impression that every disputed moment will be analyzed intensely by the team to ascertain whether they need to intervene and subsequently resolved later in private.

The examination will intensify and each time it happens it is in danger of potentially making a difference that could be critical. Already, following the team's decision their drivers swap places in Italy because Norris had endured a slow pit stop and Piastri feeling he was treated unfairly with the strategy call at Hungary, where Norris won, the shadow of concern of favouritism also emerges.

Team perspective and future challenges

No one wants to witness a championship constantly disputed because it may be considered that the efforts to be fair were unequal. When asked if he felt the team 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’ve spoken about a number of things,” he said after Singapore. “However finally it’s a learning process for the entire squad.”

Six meetings remain. McLaren have little room for error for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser to just close the books and step back from the fray.