Lando Norris as Ayrton Senna and Piastri likened to Alain Prost? No, but the team must hope championship is settled through racing

The British racing team and F1 could do with any conclusive outcome during this championship battle involving Norris and Piastri being decided on the track rather than without reference to the pit wall with the title run-in begins at the COTA on Friday.

Marina Bay race aftermath prompts team tensions

After the Marina Bay event’s doubtless extensive and tense post-race analyses dealt with, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a reset. The British driver was likely fully conscious of the historical context regarding his retort toward his upset colleague during the previous race weekend. In a fiercely contested championship duel 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 was of an entirely different nature from incidents characterizing the Brazilian’s great rivalries.

“If you fault me for simply attempting an inside move of a big gap then you don't belong in Formula One,” stated Norris of his opening-lap attempt to overtake that led to their vehicles making contact.

His comment seemed to echo Senna’s “If you no longer go for a gap which is there then you cease to be a racing driver” justification he provided to the racing knight after he ploughed into the French champion in Japan back in 1990, securing him the title.

Parallel mindset yet distinct situations

Although the attitude is similar, the phrasing is where the similarities end. The late champion confessed he never intended of letting Prost to defeat him through the first corner whereas Norris did try to execute a clean overtake at the Marina Bay circuit. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort that went unpenalised despite the minor contact he had with his team colleague as he went through. This incident stemmed from him clipping the Red Bull of Max Verstappen in front of him.

The Australian responded angrily and, significantly, instantly stated that Norris's position gain seemed unjust; the implication being the two teammates clashing was verboten by team protocols for racing and Norris ought to be told to return the place he had made. McLaren did not do so, yet it demonstrated that during disputes of contention, both will promptly appeal the squad to intervene on his behalf.

Squad management and impartiality being examined

This comes naturally of McLaren’s laudable efforts to let their drivers race against each other and strive to be as scrupulously fair. Quite apart from creating complex dilemmas in setting precedents over what constitutes fair or unfair – under these conditions, now includes misfortune, tactical calls and on-track occurrences like in Marina Bay – there is the question regarding opinions.

Most crucially to the title race, with six meetings remaining, Piastri is ahead of Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists as fair and at what point their perspectives might split from the team's stance. That is when their friendly rapport between the two may – finally – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.

“It’s going to come to a situation where a few points will matter,” said Mercedes boss Wolff post-race. “Then they’ll start to calculate and re-calculations and I guess the elbows are going to come out a bit more. That’s when it starts to get interesting.”

Viewer desires and championship implications

For spectators, during this dual battle, increased excitement will probably be welcomed as a track duel rather than a data-driven decision of circumstances. Especially since for F1 the alternative perception from all this is not particularly rousing.

To be fair, McLaren are making appropriate choices for themselves with successful results. They clinched their tenth team championship at Marina Bay (albeit a brilliant success diminished by the controversy from the Norris-Piastri moment) and with Stella as team principal they possess a moral and upright commander who genuinely wants to do the right thing.

Racing purity versus team management

Yet having drivers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall for resolutions appears unsightly. Their contest should be decided through racing. Luck and destiny will play their part, yet preferable to allow them just battle freely and observe outcomes naturally, rather than the sense that every disputed moment will be analyzed intensely by the squad to determine if intervention is needed and then cleared up afterwards behind closed doors.

The examination will increase and each time it happens it risks possibly affecting outcomes which might prove decisive. Already, after the team made for position swaps at Monza due to Norris experiencing a slow pit stop and Piastri believing he was treated unfairly regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris triumphed, the spectre of a fear of favouritism also looms.

Squad viewpoint and upcoming tests

Nobody desires to see a title endlessly debated because it may be considered that fairness attempts had not been balanced. When asked if he believed the squad had acted correctly toward both racers, Piastri said that they did, but noted it's a developing process.

“There’s been some difficult situations and we discussed a number of things,” he stated post-race. “But ultimately it’s a learning process with the whole team.”

Six meetings remain. McLaren have little room for error to do their cramming, thus perhaps wiser to just close the books and withdraw from the conflict.