Dennis moves aside at McLaren
Ron Dennis has today brought his 43-year association with Formula One to an end.
Confirming a restructuring of the McLaren Group, Dennis has stepped down as chief executive officer of McLaren Racing, passing on all responsibility to team principal Martin Whitmarsh.
The 61-year-old is to focus on the automotive side of the company, with the aim to launch a new McLaren sports car in 2011.
It was earlier this year that Dennis handed the reins of McLaren Racing boss over to Whitmarsh, a role he had occupied since 1981.
Although Dennis attended the season-opening Australian Grand Prix last month, he then chose not to attend the subsequent race in Malaysia, the first time he had not been present for many years.
To his surprise he found he did not miss the buzz of being around F1, especially given the furore surrounding the team in the wake of the ’lie-gate’ scandal.
Given his complex character, Dennis also appreciates he will not be missed either, in particular by FIA president Max Mosley given their mutual dislike of one another.
“I passed the role of team principal to Martin on January 16, the day of the launch of our new Formula One car,” said Dennis.
“That day I was asked many times whether I would attend the 2009 Australian Grand Prix. My answer was ’yes’.
“I duly attended it – albeit not as the person in charge of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. It was, I admit, a strange feeling.
“The next race, the Malaysian Grand Prix, I watched on TV in the UK – an activity I found surprisingly easy.
“I’d expected to be more emotional about it, after an unbroken run of attending so many grands prix for so many years.
“I admit I’m not always easy to get on with. I admit I’ve always fought hard for McLaren in Formula One.
“I doubt if Max Mosley or Bernie Ecclestone will be displeased by my decision. But no-one asked me to do it. It was my decision.
“Equally, I was the architect of today’s restructure of the McLaren Group. Again, no-one asked me to do it. It was my decision.
“I feel enormously enthused about the prospects for the McLaren Group and for McLaren Automotive, and have no qualms about leaving Martin to report to the board regarding matters connected with Formula One.”
It was in 1966, at the age of 18, Dennis first became involved in F1, working alongside driver Jochen Rindt at the Cooper Formula One team.
There followed a three-year spell with Brabham prior to Dennis working on a number of projects in Formula Two and Three for a decade.
However, Dennis longed to return to F1, and in 1981 the opportunity eventually arose with McLaren, with the then 34-year-old assuming full control, building it up into the company it has become today.
Although the global credit crisis has had a major impact on the car industry, Dennis is determined to plough ahead with his plans for a revolutionary new sports car.
McLaren Automotive is intending to raise fresh equity, in addition to the existing investment in the business, to complete the development of the planned vehicle programmes.
Dennis added: “With planned additional investment in the company of £250m (€282m), proposals in place for a new McLaren car production facility in the UK, and the potential for up to 800 skilled jobs, McLaren Automotive’s expansion will represent a significant investment in the UK automotive industry.”
On June 1, Richard Lapthorne, currently chairman of Cable and Wireless, will be appointed non-executive chairman of the McLaren Group, and a non-executive director of McLaren Automotive.
