Force India's billionaire owner Vijay Mallya has warned the feuding factions inside his team: "I'm the boss."
Mallya is ready to get tough after differences of opinion led to speculation of civil war and unrest.
On one side is the technical department, led by Mike Gascoyne, and on the other is the non-technical element fronted by team principal Colin Kolles.
For a team still searching for their first points of the year, the claims are unhelpful, but Mallya insists he has everything under control.
"Unfortunately in the Formula One paddock there is a lot of rumour-mongering that goes on," Mallya said.
"Yes, there may be differences of opinion, but these differences started even before I took over the team.
"There was a certain technical direction being taken by Mike Gascoyne, which Colin Kolles didn't necessarily agree with.
"I also remember at the Brazilian GP last year, when it was still Spyker, Mike Gascoyne was dead against the seamless shift gearbox.
"Later this season, I said we need to have it, so get on with it.
"But you know, disagreements can be healthy, not necessarily all negative. If there are disagreements between two members of a team, it must not be blown out of proportion.
"Having said that, everybody knows I am the boss and I make the decisions. At the end of the day, what others agree with or disagree with is really of no consequence to me.
"As long as the team is running the way I want it to run, and the programmes I have said must happen, happen, I don't have to spend too much of my time worrying about who agrees with whom."
With Mallya in overall charge, it has brought into question the role played by Kolles and whether he could be on his way out.
But Mallya insists Kolles is an integral member of the team, adding: "Team principal is a very general term.
"Your understanding may be that a team principal is in charge of everything, and has a completely free hand to do as he feels.
"The answer is absolutely not. I am the chairman and managing director of the company and the team, so arguably I could be the team principal.
"But Colin performs a role I give him, and he's accountable to me. I tell him to do things I don't think others can do.
"He does what I tell him to do, but I take the final decision.
"If the company was suffering as a result, then of course I would do something about it immediately."
Mallya has also rejected claims he has already become disillusioned with Formula One and is looking for an escape route.
"I have been around for 12 years, so I had no illusions," insisted Mallya.
"I was a sponsor at Toyota, and I know how much their budget is, and prior to that I was a sponsor at Benetton, and I knew what their budget was.
"So I've come into this with my eyes wide open. The question of me suddenly becoming disillusioned because I face something I haven't anticipated is rubbish.
"I wouldn't be here if I hadn't anticipated what I was getting into. I am in for the long haul."
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