Kimi Antonelli said he did not want to create similar scenes to the battle between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton with Mercedes teammate George Russell.
The Italian now leads Russell, following a series of fierce on-track battles between the two during the last Grand Prix in Canada.
"The team wants us to race freely, because they know very well, especially in the position that we are now, you cannot put the leash on us," the Italian driver said during a media conference ahead of receiving this year's Bandini Trophy in Brisighella.
"But they also want to make sure that there's not an unpleasant situation. If they feel like it, in the next few races, they will tell us to race a bit easier.
"At the moment they're letting us race free because they trust us as well," he added.
The situation has inevitably drawn comparisons with one of Formula 1's most famous intra-team rivalries, which also unfolded under the Mercedes banner.
"We don't want to recreate a scenery like Lewis [Hamilton] and [Nico] Rosberg, where internally in the team was not the best," Antonelli said.
"Of course we're going to race each other hard, but we'll try to be as fair as possible, avoiding any crashes or contacts because we want the best as well for the team.
"We want Mercedes to win, as well. We're gonna go at each other, for sure, but in a fair manner," he concluded.
The young Italian is fully aware that he may be fighting for something far greater in only his second Formula 1 season.
- Antonelli on top, but the pressure to win now off for Russell
- Hamilton thanks Ferrari for 'moving mountains' after finishing second in Canada, best since signing
- Gucci Racing Alpine F1 Team! Fashion giant joins grid as title sponsor for 2027
"[Racing in F1] it's like being in a shark tank. You either eat or you're eaten. You have to be aggressive, obviously in the right dose. In Canada I was aggressive, maybe a little too much. If a similar situation happens again, we'll have to be more clear-headed," Antonelli declared.
"But it's right for me to be aggressive now, because right now I'm racing to win, I'm playing for victories. It's still early to talk about the championship, but I'm right up there in the standings. It's one of those opportunities that doesn't come along every day, so you want to make the most of it," he added.
The next round of the championship will take place in Monaco on June 7.