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The British racing team along with Formula One could do with anything decisive in the title fight involving Norris and Piastri getting resolved on the track and without reference to the pit wall as the title run-in kicks off this weekend at Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Marina Bay race aftermath leads to internal strain

With the Marina Bay event’s undoubtedly thorough and stressful debriefs dealt with, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a reset. The British driver was likely fully conscious about the historical parallels of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate at the last race weekend. During an intense title fight against Piastri, his reference to a famous Senna well-known quotes did not go unnoticed yet the occurrence which triggered his statement differed completely from incidents characterizing the Brazilian’s great rivalries.

“Should you criticize me for just going an inside move of a big gap then you should not be in Formula One,” Norris said regarding his first-lap move to pass that led to 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 racing driver” justification he gave to the racing knight following his collision with Alain Prost in Japan back in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Similar spirit yet distinct situations

Although the attitude remains comparable, the phrasing marks where parallels stop. Senna later admitted he never intended to allow Prost to defeat him through the first corner while Norris attempted to make his pass cleanly at the Marina Bay circuit. In fact, his maneuver was legitimate which received no penalty even with the glancing blow he had with his team colleague during the pass. That itself was a result of him touching the car of Max Verstappen in front of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, significantly, instantly stated that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was verboten by team protocols for racing and Norris should be instructed to give back the position he gained. The team refused, but it was indicative that during disputes of contention, each would quickly ask to the team to step in in their favor.

Squad management and fairness being examined

This is part and parcel of McLaren’s laudable efforts to allow their racers compete one another and to try to be as scrupulously fair. Aside from tying some torturous knots in setting precedents about what defines fair or unfair – which, under these auspices, now covers misfortune, tactical calls and on-track occurrences like in Marina Bay – there is the question regarding opinions.

Of most import to the title race, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by twenty-two points, each racer's view exists on fairness and when their opinion may diverge from the team's stance. That is when the amicable relationship among them may – finally – become a little bit more Senna-Prost.

“It will reach to a situation where a few points will matter,” said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff post-race. “Then they’ll start to calculate and back-calculate and I suppose aggression will increase a bit more. That’s when it starts to become thrilling.”

Audience expectations and title consequences

For the audience, during this dual battle, getting interesting will likely be appreciated as a track duel instead of a data-driven decision regarding incidents. Not least because in Formula One the other impression from these events isn't very inspiring.

To be fair, McLaren is taking appropriate choices for their interests and it has paid off. They clinched their tenth team championship at Marina Bay (though a great achievement overshadowed by the controversy from their drivers' clash) and in Andrea Stella as squad leader they have an ethical and principled leader who truly aims to do the right thing.

Sporting integrity against squad control

Yet having drivers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall for resolutions is unedifying. Their contest ought to be determined on track. Chance and fate will have roles, but better to let them simply go at it and see how fortune falls, than the impression that each contentious incident will be analyzed intensely by the squad to determine if they need to intervene and subsequently resolved later in private.

The examination will increase with every occurrence it is in danger of possibly affecting outcomes that could be critical. Already, after the team made for position swaps at Monza because Norris had endured a delayed stop and Piastri feeling he was treated unfairly regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris won, the spectre of a fear about bias also looms.

Team perspective and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to witness a championship constantly disputed because it may be considered that fairness attempts were unequal. Questioned whether he believed the squad had acted correctly toward both racers, Piastri said he believed they had, but mentioned it's a developing process.

“There’s been some difficult situations and we discussed various aspects,” he stated post-race. “But ultimately it’s a learning process for the entire squad.”

Six races stay. McLaren have little room for error to do their cramming, thus perhaps wiser now to simply close the books and withdraw from the conflict.