McLaren drivers Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris are free to race each other, but team boss Andreas Seidl warns that any on-track clash between the pair will carry consequences.
McLaren has taken the lead off the bat in F1's competitive midfield with Norris and Sainz finishing third and fifth in last weekend's opening round of the 2020 season at the Red Bull Ring.
The two drivers enjoyed a fraught battle in the closing stages of the race as they fought for position along with Racing Point's Sergio Perez.
Seidl said his drivers are free to race according to the team's rules of engagement and barring any specific circumstances that would call for team orders.
But the McLaren boss also knows that giving a free rein to drivers inevitably holds a degree of risk.
"We allow them to race freely, and not interfere as a team as long as there is not a clear reason to change position because of different strategies or because of different car performance," Seidl said, quoted by Motorsport.com.
"I think [it] is important, especially at the beginning of the season, because that ensures also that you get the maximum out of these guys and both drivers.
"I know that if you allow them to race freely, contact shouldn’t happen, and I have a lot of trust in these two guys.
"I’m not naive, it can happen. If you look around in the paddock in the last 30 years, whenever you allow free racing, it ended up in a crash in the end. I hope we can avoid that."
Seidl made clear that his tolerance threshold for clashes between teammates was low. And it would only take one such reckless encounter for McLaren to change its stance on the matter.
Furthermore, Seidl says he would consider an on-track spat between his drivers as a "personal attack" on him.
"It is clear if we get to that point, it would happen once," Seidl said. "I would take it very personally. Then we take it from there.
"Drivers are very competitive. They have to be very competitive, and it’s very clear they have big egos. That’s the reason why they got so far in their careers.
"We shouldn’t forget that whenever these guys go out of the garage, they put their lives on the line as well. You need to allow these guys also that mistakes can happen, otherwise they can’t perform at the limit.
"At the same time, it always needs to be clear that we are all here for McLaren and for the team. The highest good we have is the team.
"As soon as the ego of one driver is in the way of the interests of the team, I would take it personally.
"I see it as a personal attack on me as well. Then we go from there."
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