McLaren and F1 would benefit from any conclusive outcome in the championship battle between Norris & Oscar Piastri getting resolved through on-track action and without reference to team orders with the championship finale begins at the COTA on Friday.
Marina Bay race fallout prompts internal strain
After the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and stressful post-race analyses dealt with, the Woking-based squad will be hoping for a fresh start. The British driver was likely more than aware of the historical context regarding his retort toward his upset colleague at the last grand prix weekend. During an intense championship duel with the Australian, his reference to one of Ayrton Senna’s well-known quotes was lost on no one but the incident that provoked his comment differed completely to those that defined Senna's great rivalries.
“Should you criticize me for just going an inside move through an opening then you should not be in Formula One,” stated Norris of his opening-lap attempt to overtake that led to their vehicles making contact.
His comment appeared to paraphrase Senna’s “Should you stop attempting for a gap which is there then you cease to be a true racer” justification he gave to Sir Jackie Stewart following his collision with Alain Prost in Japan in 1990, securing him the title.
Similar spirit yet distinct situations
While the spirit 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. Indeed, it was a perfectly valid effort that went unpenalised despite the minor contact he made against his team colleague during the pass. That itself stemmed from him clipping the Red Bull driven by Verstappen ahead of him.
Piastri reacted furiously and, notably, immediately declared that Norris gaining the place was “unfair”; suggesting that the two teammates clashing was verboten by team protocols for racing and Norris ought to be told to give back the place he had made. McLaren did not do so, yet it demonstrated that during disputes between them, both will promptly appeal the squad to intervene on his behalf.
Squad management and impartiality under scrutiny
This comes naturally from McLaren's commendable approach to allow their racers compete one another and to try to maintain strict fairness. Aside from tying some torturous knots when establishing rules over what constitutes just or unjust – which, under these auspices, now covers misfortune, tactical calls and racing incidents such as in Singapore – there is the question of perception.
Of most import to the title race, six races left, Piastri leads Norris by 22 points, each racer's view exists on fairness and when their opinion may diverge with that of the McLaren pitwall. Which is when their friendly rapport among them could eventually – turn somewhat into Senna-Prost.
“It will reach to a situation where a few points will matter,” commented Mercedes boss Wolff after Singapore. “Then they’ll start to calculate and back-calculate and I guess aggression will increase further. That's when it begins to become thrilling.”
Audience expectations and championship implications
For the audience, during this dual battle, increased excitement will likely be appreciated in the form of a track duel instead of a data-driven decision of circumstances. Not least because for F1 the other impression from these events isn't very inspiring.
Honestly speaking, McLaren are making the correct decisions for their interests and it has paid off. They secured their tenth team championship at Marina Bay (though a great achievement overshadowed by the controversy from the Norris-Piastri moment) and in Andrea Stella as team principal they have an ethical and principled leader who genuinely wants to do the right thing.
Sporting integrity versus squad control
However, with racers in a championship fight looking to the pitwall for resolutions appears unsightly. Their competition should be decided on track. Chance and fate will have roles, yet preferable to allow them just battle freely and observe outcomes naturally, than the impression that each contentious incident will be pored over by the team to determine if intervention is needed and subsequently resolved afterwards behind closed doors.
The examination will intensify with every occurrence it is in danger of potentially making a difference which might prove decisive. Previously, following the team's decision their drivers swap places in Italy due to Norris experiencing a slow pit stop and Piastri feeling he had been hard done by regarding tactics at Hungary, where Norris triumphed, the spectre of a fear about bias also emerges.
Team perspective and upcoming tests
No one wants to witness a championship endlessly debated over perceived that the efforts to be fair had not been balanced. Questioned whether he felt the team had acted correctly toward both racers, Piastri said that they did, but mentioned that it was an ever-evolving approach.
“We've had several challenging moments and we discussed various aspects,” he stated post-race. “But ultimately it’s a learning process with the whole team.”
Six meetings remain. McLaren have little wriggle room left to do their cramming, thus perhaps wiser to just close the books and withdraw from the fray.
