McLaren has defended its decision to allow team orders to be applied in Formula 1's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix if one of its drivers finds themselves out of title contention.
While McLaren has made a concerted effort to treat its drivers equally this year, The Race revealed on Thursday that the team's stance would be changing for this weekend's season finale.
Both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will go into the race with the same freedoms to fight for their own championship glory.
However, if there comes a point late in the grand prix where one of them has no realistic shot of bringing the title home, but they can help their team-mate to do so, then orders will come into play.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown was clear on Friday that: "If it becomes clear that both can't [win the title] then we're going to do what's in the best interest of the team and try and win the drivers' championship."
Mercedes driver George Russell criticised McLaren for this change of approach ahead of the race weekend, but Brown said it would be nonsensical not to bring team orders into play if it cost the team the world title.
"I don't think it's a big U-turn," he said. "We're going to start the weekend like we have the other 23, which is going in giving both drivers equal opportunity.
"[We will] use common sense. We're not going to throw away a drivers' championship over sixth and seventh place, a third and a fourth place, or a fifth and a sixth place, if one of our drivers doesn't have the opportunity.
"Everything we do, we do with the drivers, so they know what the game plan is for this weekend. And kind of outside of our racing team, you're a bit damned if you do, damned if you don't.
"So we're going to just stay true to our racing principles. We want to win the constructors' [championship], which we've done. We want to win the drivers' [title]. And so we'll see how the race plays out."
While there has been some intrigue about whether Piastri would follow team orders to help Norris become champion, Brown said he had no doubts about what would happen in that scenario.
Asked if he was confident that Piastri would comply, Brown said: "Yes, our drivers have always complied with team wishes, just as we comply with their wishes.
"I've got no doubt either of our drivers will continue to race, as they've done brilliantly, in the best interest of the team."
Brown was clear that any intervention, of asking Piastri to help support the team's wider hopes, will only involve assisting Norris directly - and will not include messing about in situations such as deliberately holding up title rival Max Verstappen.
"We're going to race cleanly," he said. "I think obviously strategy comes into play. But I like everyone on the F1 grid, and I think we're here to race hard, race clean. So that's exactly what I expect in how the race will will play out.
"We all have multiple cars, etc, so you'd be smart and strategic, but I think it'll be a very healthy battle to the finish."
Papaya rules to stay
McLaren's pursuit of equality between its drivers - widely wrapped up under the 'papaya rules' banner - has proved controversial at times.
It faced criticism of the ordered switch of position that took place between Piastri and Norris at the Italian Grand Prix, when Norris had a slow pitstop, and there were suggestions its strategy error in Qatar last weekend was triggered by it trying to be fair to both drivers.
But while Brown accepted there is scope to learn from situations that have taken place this season, he said McLaren will not be changing its approach to how it treats drivers in the future.
"We're definitely committed to giving those drivers equal opportunity to win the world championship," he said.
"Even when you win on Monday, you talk about what you could have done differently or better. So we are constantly evolving as a racing team.
"But the fundamentals of having two drivers that would give equal opportunity to win; that won't change."
