If Lewis Hamilton wins the Formula One drivers championship this season, it will not be thanks to McLaren teammate Heikki Kovalainen - not yet in any case.
Hamilton heads into Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix with a one point lead over Ferrari's Felipe Massa, 78 points to 77, with four races of the 18-race season remaining.
But Kovalainen said McLarem bosses have not issued any team orders requiring the Finn to help Hamilton in his scrap with Brazilian Massa.
"The team has not given me any instructions to do something particular, so I will see how the situation is," the 26-year-old smiled when asked about his tactics ahead of the sport's first night race on Sunday. "The good thing is I can decide myself how the situation looks."
Kovalainen accepted he could play a key role in deciding where the title ends up and he could also help McLaren's cause by depriving Ferrari of as many points as possible.
"Obviously the objective for myself is to try and score more points and do the maximum result every time I go out," he said.
"That's how I am approaching the weekend. If I have the chance to win the race I will try to do that.
"I think the best thing I can do for the team is to try and take as many points away from the other people as possible."
Kovalainen is sixth in the drivers' championship, 27 points behind Hamilton.
Ferrari lead the constructors' championship with 134 points to McLaren's 129.
