McLaren's Dennis quits Formula 1

Neil Tennant

@Simberia
Ron Dennis has handed over complete control of McLaren Racing to team principal Martin Whitmarsh, ending his 43-year involvement in Formula 1.

The 61-year-old stepped down as world champion Lewis Hamilton's team boss on 16 January, but stayed involved in F1.

Dennis will now concentrate solely on McLaren's new sports car project.

"I am the architect of this restructure of McLaren. I have no qualms about leaving Martin to look after all matters connected to F1," said Dennis.

"I feel enormously enthused about the prospects for both the McLaren Group and for McLaren Automotive."

As executive chairman of McLaren Automotive, Dennis will lead the group's project to develop a range of pure McLaren sports cars, with the launch date for the first model set for 2011.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8001425.stm
 
Love him or loathe him, F1 loses yet another great character. In today's image concious media circus we won't see people like him again, and the sport is made less interesting by their loss.

Edit - And to counter Kal's comment, McLaren have never needed to sell road cars to go racing, there's always been a nice rich French Arab in the background when they needed that. And they never felt the need to sell out to Rover, unlike a certain FIAT owned team.

Before anyone starts I'm just messing about and not actually starting yet another McLaren Vs Ferrari argument. We all love our teams, be it Football, Motor Racing or whatever and we all love to hate the opposition but true sports fans can stand up every now and again and show respect for them too.
 
Indeed a true character gone, very sad and i fear all down to old team owner rivalries between RD, MM & BE.

but heres a thought.... Ron Denis now free to run for FIA president elections in 2009?
 
Interesting thought, but I don't think Ron has the political savvy or indeed the political motivation to want to do it. I think RD is good at what he does, knows that and sticks to that, I can't see him wanting the hassle of continuing the old team owners war. He's better off out of it and it looks more like a lifestyle choice change more than anything, in my opinion anyway.
 
  • Stirb Iuliu

If I remember well, the best f1 driver, or one of the best, emotionally driven, Ayrton Senna needed a special relation and a special atmosphere to work in.


That's the relation he had with Ron... He never felt home, when he quit the team, at Williams.
 
He should retire completely.

I respect the man enormously since he has done a lot for F1 the last decades. But having a good bankaccount (understatement) and the age of 61 its time to spend it and have some fun far away from the stress that comes with F1, which cant be healthy.

If i was him i know what i would do :)

302np52.jpg
 
He should retire completely.

I respect the man enormously since he has done a lot for F1 the last decades. But having a good bankaccount (understatement) and the age of 61 its time to spend it and have some fun far away from the stress that comes with F1, which cant be healthy.

If i was him i know what i would do :)

302np52.jpg

is that moving in next to you? ;)
 

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