Sunday in Hungary proved McLaren does not use team orders, according to Jenson Button.
Prior to winning his 200th grand prix, the 31-year-old engaged in a wheel-to-wheel, place-swapping duel with his teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Button said a few days ago that McLaren "does not have team orders".
"Other teams will use them, but not us," he added, apparently referring to Red Bull’s order that Mark Webber hold position behind Sebastian Vettel at Silverstone.
After Sunday’s race, Button said it was no surprise the McLaren pitwall kept out of the battle.
"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 teammate’, it wouldn’t have happened."
McLaren’s managing director Jonathan Neale confirmed the desire to sometimes protect a good team result.
But he insisted: "You have to let them go sometimes. We can get it wrong but when you have a race like that, you know you are right."