McLaren have no plans to stop Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button from "sorting things out" on the track, even though their battles always provide heart-stopping moments to the entire team.
Those on the McLaren pit wall and in the garage have had their hearts in their throats several times this season as the duo have gone nose-to-nose on quite a few occasions. They were head-to-head in Turkey, made contact at the Canadian Grand Prix and were again getting too close for comfort during this weekend's Hungarian GP.
Button admitted after Sunday's victory that they would not have listened to any "team orders" during the race.
"No, I wasn't surprised they let us fight," he said. "We wouldn't have listened anyway. If they had said back off and sit behind your team-mate it wouldn't have happened. But they would never do that and we know that because we asked the question."
McLaren managing director Jonathan Neale concedes Hamilton and Button's skirmishes make everyone nervous, but says they are free to challenge each other.
"When you've two drivers who are side by side, swapping positions I think for all of us it's ageing," Neale said.
"But there is no attempt by us to interfere. Martin (Whitmarsh, team principal) has made that clear in the past.
"Lewis and Jenson are experienced drivers, and we run two number one drivers because it gets the best out of them.
"If we're doing our job well as a team then they are going to come across each other on the circuit, and we expect them to sort it out."
Neale added: "Letting them race is great for Formula One, and it's great for sport as a whole.
"We've not changed, and that goes back 10 years plus. That was Ron's way (referring to former team principal Ron Dennis), and that is definitely Martin's way.
"There is no doubt in my mind both of our drivers are at the top of their game and performing at the level they are at in part because of the pressure each is putting on the other, which is great."
McLaren's policy is in stark contrast to the team orders imposed at Ferrari, and most recently Red Bull in the British Grand Prix when Mark Webber was told to hold position behind Sebastian Vettel.
Neale, though, refused to be too critical of their rivals.
"I don't want to comment on how the others run their teams. They do it a different way," he said.
"As far as McLaren are concerned, we recognise it is a sport and a show, and of course whilst we work hard at the technology, we must always remember the fans.
"Those who follow McLaren and Formula One expect us to have great drivers out there doing what they're supposed to be doing, which is shooting it out.
"As I've said, though, it just makes us a bit older on the pit wall."
