McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has insisted he was not prepared to 'destroy' the balance within the squad by employing team orders for Oscar Piastri to help Lando Norris in his quest for Formula 1's drivers' title.
Norris is hunting down three-time reigning champion Max Verstappen and remains within touching distance of the Red Bull driver, though he lost ground at the United States Grand Prix in controversial circumstances, having been penalised for overtaking off the track.
But outside the team, it has been felt by many that points have been left on the table for Norris by not enforcing orders onto Piastri earlier in the season, the most notable situation at the Hungarian GP where the Briton was instead asked to give the lead to his team-mate following a change in positions at the final pitstop window.
It has been a scenario the Woking-based team has had to adapt to with a fresh management structure still learning the ropes at an outfit that has been away from the limelight for over a decade.
Discussing the dynamics of number one and two drivers in an exclusive interview with Autosport, Stella explained: "Driver management must be seen in the context of the competitiveness of the car.
"You always need to have a management line, but if you compete for 10th and 11th place, all your efforts are directed towards achieving competitiveness. It is when you get to fighting for the top positions that the scenario changes.
"Our focus has always been on maximum collaboration. This is because there is a main objective, something bigger than the team principal, something bigger than Lando and something bigger than Oscar, and that is the interest of the team, of McLaren. This aspect is non-negotiable, in any situation.
"We have always approached driver management, and in general, the rules by which we go on the track according to some principles: the first, as I said, is the interest of the team, the second is sportsmanship, or if you prefer, integrity.
“These are very important values, we want to act fairly and correctly towards both our drivers, and this aspect becomes even more important when you have two talents who have the skills and the whole package needed to win races.
"We have worked hard to be where we are today, we have worked hard to have and develop Oscar, as well as Lando. When you have two drivers who work together, the growth of the team benefits, and since we were able to provide Lando and Oscar with a competitive car, that is from the Miami Grand Prix, McLaren has become the team that has scored the most points in the constructors' championship.
"When you get to be in this situation, you have to define a situation that, I think, many would like to have: how do you manage the drivers? We always start from our principles, we don't negotiate them."
On whether the team could really be successful without a designated number one driver, Stella pointed to the dangers of such tactics, replying: “We don’t have a number one driver or a number two. This is a scenario that works well for the media and in pub chatter, but it’s not good when you manage a Formula 1 team because you also have to consider the future.
"I can’t know if we will win this season, but I am aware that we want to be in a position to win in '25, '26 and '27, and if in managing the 2024 season I end up destroying the balance, I will end up not having a solid base in the following years.
"This is the way I believe we should work in Formula 1, then I am aware that complex situations can always arise. When I hear people talking about the mathematical approach of the type 'Oscar from now on must put Lando behind', I reply that Lando himself doesn’t want Oscar to make himself available.
"My challenge is to be able to count on a united and compact group, I can't be sure that we will always do a good job, but we must always be clear that we are here to continue working and building, not with the aim of having a glorious weekend, but to do well in the years to come."
Watch: Why Verstappen's Move on Norris is More Controversial than it Seems - F1 US GP Race Reaction
