Ron Dennis has declared defiantly that McLaren can thrive without those who do not bleed ‘rocket red’ blood.
Still the ‘supremo’ of the entire company, Dennis declared this week that – with Martin Whitmarsh now in charge – he has now “moved on” from his F1-dedicated days.
Ron Dennis did not attend a farewell party for Lewis Hamilton last week in Austin, and he will not be in Brazil for his former protege’s last race for McLaren. The news adds to the perception that Briton Hamilton – who was nurtured through his formative years by the McLaren supremo and brought into F1 in 2007 – has fallen out badly with Dennis over the 27-year-old’s Mercedes switch.
Ron Dennis is supportive of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Mercedes next year, the 2008 world champion insists.
Earlier, it was believed the pair were not even on speaking terms, with Dennis reportedly furious Hamilton had decided against staying with McLaren in 2013 despite his long connection with the famous British team. But it later emerged that they would meet for dinner ahead of this weekend’s Abu Dhabi grand prix; the third-last in Hamilton’s McLaren career.
Lewis Hamilton looks set for a round of feisty negotiations with McLaren, after supremo Ron Dennis weighed back into the saga about the 2008 world champion’s new contract.
Dennis, formerly McLaren’s team boss but now the company’s executive chairman, sounded on Thursday as he though he is confident he has the upper hand in the talks about Hamilton’s 2013 deal.
Ron Dennis has said he is pretty sure that Lewis Hamilton will stay at McLaren in 2013. However Dennis, who as team boss in 2007 brought the former world champion into F1 100 grands prix ago, took exception to the common view that it is 27-year-old Hamilton who is wielding the most powerful hand in the negotiations over his next contract.
Ron Dennis has hinted the hold-up regarding a new contract for Lewis Hamilton is a disagreement about money.
Lewis Hamilton may have secured the 2008 F1 Drivers’ Title on Sunday, but he narrowly missed out on winning his dream car, the McLaren F1 LM.
In March, The Sun newspaper reported that Ron Dennis had promised Lewis the factories own car, on the basis he won both World Championships.
A relieved Ron Dennis warned that McLaren will be competitive in Sunday’s historic Singapore Grand Prix, despite being outclassed by Ferrari’s Felipe Massa in qualifying.
The McLaren team principal could do little more than watch and wait in the second qualifying session as Lewis Hamilton battled to escape elimination after making a mistake on his first flying lap.
Ron Dennis has given the stunning new Singapore street circuit a firm seal of approval.
The Singapore Grand Prix has been on the cards for almost twenty years, but it was only recently decided that it would also become the first ever night race after Bernie Ecclestone successfully pitched the idea to the team bosses and race director Charlie Whiting.
Ron Dennis has ruled out German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz taking control over the McLaren team in the near future. There have been persistent rumours around the F1 paddock that Mercedes-Benz are looking to increase the 40 percent shareholding that they currently have in the team however Dennis has said that the manufacturer are happy with the current setup and are not planning to make increase their stake in the F1 team.
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