🔗 Share this article

The British racing team along with F1 would benefit from anything decisive in the title fight involving Norris & Piastri getting resolved on the track and without resorting to the pit wall as the championship finale begins at the Circuit of the Americas starting Friday.

Singapore Grand Prix aftermath prompts team tensions

After the Marina Bay event’s doubtless extensive and stressful post-race analyses concluded, the Woking-based squad is aiming for a fresh start. The British driver was likely fully conscious of the historical context regarding his retort toward his upset colleague at the last grand prix weekend. During an intense championship duel against Piastri, that Norris invoked a famous Senna well-known quotes did not go unnoticed yet the occurrence that provoked his comment differed completely to those that defined Senna's great rivalries.

“Should you criticize me for simply attempting on the inside through an opening then you should not be in Formula One,” Norris said regarding his first-lap move to overtake that led to their vehicles making contact.

His comment seemed to echo the Brazilian legend's “Should you stop attempting for a gap that exists then you cease to be a racing driver” defence he provided to Sir Jackie Stewart after he ploughed into Alain Prost at Suzuka back in 1990, ensuring he took the title.

Similar spirit but different circumstances

Although the attitude is similar, the wording marks where parallels stop. The late champion confessed he never intended to allow Prost beat him at turn one whereas Norris did try to execute a clean overtake in Singapore. In fact, it was a perfectly valid effort that went unpenalised even with the glancing blow he had with his McLaren teammate during the pass. That itself was a result of him clipping the Red Bull of Max Verstappen in front of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, notably, immediately declared that Norris gaining the place seemed unjust; suggesting that their collision was verboten under McLaren’s rules of engagement 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, both will promptly appeal the squad to step in in their favor.

Squad management and fairness under scrutiny

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 creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents about what defines just or unjust – under these conditions, now covers misfortune, tactical calls and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there remains the issue of perception.

Of most import for the championship, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by twenty-two points, there is what each driver perceives on fairness and at what point their opinion may diverge from the team's stance. Which is when their friendly rapport among them could eventually – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.

“It’s going to come a point where minor points count,” commented Mercedes boss Wolff post-race. “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 championship implications

For spectators, during this dual battle, getting interesting will probably be welcomed in the form of a track duel rather than 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 their interests with successful results. They clinched their tenth team championship at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success diminished by the fuss prompted by the Norris-Piastri moment) and in Andrea Stella as team principal they possess a moral and principled leader who genuinely wants to act correctly.

Sporting integrity against team management

However, with racers competing for the title looking to the pitwall for resolutions appears unsightly. Their competition ought to be determined through racing. Luck and destiny will have roles, but better to let them just battle freely and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that every disputed moment will be analyzed intensely by the squad to determine if they need to intervene and subsequently resolved afterwards behind closed doors.

The scrutiny will intensify with every occurrence it is in danger of potentially making a difference that could be critical. 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 regarding tactics in Budapest, where Norris triumphed, the shadow of concern about bias also emerges.

Team perspective and future challenges

No one wants to see a title endlessly debated over perceived that fairness attempts were unequal. When asked if he believed the squad had managed to do right toward both racers, Piastri responded that they did, but mentioned that it was an ever-evolving approach.

“We've had several difficult situations and we discussed a number of things,” he stated post-race. “But ultimately it's educational with the whole team.”

Six meetings remain. McLaren have little room for error for last-minute adjustments, thus perhaps wiser now to simply stop analyzing and withdraw from the fray.