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[EwanM]

Dennis to step down as team principal

By Jonathan Noble and Pablo Elizalde Friday, January 16th 2009, 12:35 GMT


McLaren boss Ron Dennis will step down from his role of team principal before the start of the 2009 season, the Briton announced on Friday.

The 61-year-old, however, made it clear that he is not retiring, but will instead focus on other commitments related to the McLaren Group.

Dennis said he would still attend some races, but intends to pass on his team principal responsibilities to Martin Whitmarsh as of March 1 this year.

"First thing I am going to do is work harder, that is the first target," said Dennis during the launch of the new McLaren.

"I intend to raise my own game because I think everybody in our organisation at every level realises this is a tough period in which we are going to work and of course we are a very diverse organisation now.

"We have a clear intention for our production car programme which is really a challenge. Any product we bring to the market will certainly fall the other side of this financial period.

"I stress nothing to get too excited about but it is absolute time for Martin to take over as team principal. As from March 1 he will adopt that responsibility. I will still go to races, not all of them, because I am passionate.

"I intend to work harder and will take on greater responsibility in the group. I will be full executive chairman. It is time and I have to say it is absolutely 100 percent my decision. It is what I want to do, but I do intend to work much harder.

"Don't see it as some sort of retirement, I want to work harder in other areas and having to plan those tasks around the GP calendar is disruptive to the process. It is a job that Martin will embrace and enjoy.

"It is a job over the years we have shared anyway, but it will be his decision to influence things at a grand prix circuit."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72820



__________________________________________________

The first twist of this new season, albeit not a negative one. A new dawn at Mclaren. Step forward Martin Whitmarsh.

[EwanM]

[Gaz]

old news really he said he was going to do this a few months ago to start work on the mclaren road car.

On the subject of the Mclaren road car i've recenlty started a chartity its called "help buy the mclaren road car for longbow" its a worth cause i'm sure you'll agree please contact me for details on how to make a donation.

[EwanM]

old news really he said he was going to do this a few months ago to start work on the mclaren road car.

On the subject of the Mclaren road car i've recenlty started a chartity its called "help buy the mclaren road car for longbow" its a worth cause i'm sure you'll agree please contact me for details on how to make a donation.

Despite it being rumoured for sometime it is now official and so open to discussion.
Ron gave formula one alot and it will be a shame to see him take a much reduced role in the Mclaren company.

[McLaren Fan]

It seems some people are eulogising as though he is retiring or dead. Dennis will still have a pretty big role to play at McLaren for years to come. Although the Formula One side of things is McLaren's core business, as it were, Dennis wants to diverse the company even more. When he says he still has a lot of work to do, he really means it. In terms of how it will affect the team, I'm really not sure it will at all. Dennis has been planning to step down for a while and had put in place plans for a succession. Had the spy scandal not have happened, Dennis would have made this move a year ago. Further, Whitmarsh is a clever guy and has been at McLaren for a long time. That said, it will still seem weird not seeing Dennis' name down as team principle.

[EwanM]

Well its a new era in Mclaren's Formula One "story"

I've stated that he isn't retiring so the idea of me eugolising him is false.
Despite him not retiring or dying its a good thing to honour what he has done for Formula one, that was the issue I was pointing at.

I also posted the picture of Ron to bump up the thread.

[darwin dali]

Good riddance - can't wait to see him gone!

[bud]

Good riddance - can't wait to see him gone!

[SarahB62]

I agree with Bud

[bud]

I agree with Bud

intelligent person you are then BTW

Welcome to the forum

[EwanM]

If it was Anthony id have to agree with DD
But on this one, i'll have to agree with Bud.

Welcome to the Forum Sarah, enjoy!

[EwanM]

Whitmarsh expects smooth transition

By Edd Straw and Pablo Elizalde Friday, January 16th 2009, 14:14 GMT


McLaren's Formula One CEO Martin Whitmarsh expects a smooth transition when Ron Dennis steps down from his role as team principal.

During the launch of McLaren's new car, Dennis announced that he will pass on his responsibilities as team principal to Whitmarsh on March 1, before the start of the 2009 season.

Dennis will remain executive chairman of McLaren and will be focusing on other activities, although he said he would still travel to some races.

Having worked with Dennis for two decades, Whitmarsh is expecting no big changes at the team.

"I've worked with Ron for 20 years now and anyone who knows this team well knows how it operates," said Whitmarsh. "It has been a transition - Ron has reached that point.

"I was keen for Ron to dictate the time frame for it so I never pushed him, nor have I wanted any external influence in that regard. It's very much Ron's timing and about how he takes his life forward.

"He has had an incredible career and I have had the privilege of working for him and with him for 20 years. He's a remarkable individual, sometimes misunderstood and we haven't always seen everything from precisely the same direction ourselves, but I hope there is a mutual respect."

He added: "I was very involved with Lewis (Hamilton) in the early parts of his career and I've been reasonably involved in the latter part. If I was stepping into this team from outside the business, you could predict some dramatic changes, but I've had a certain amount of influence so far and if that influence is slightly extended this year then I am very happy about that.

"I'm very fortunate to have a great relationship with all four of our drivers and we have a very harmonious team with a great bunch of people. I have an incredible honour here in that I was personally involved in the recruitment of a lot of them, so I've had the satisfaction of seeing how they've developed.

"We're a great team. No guarantees, there are some very strong teams in Formula On and we've got to beat them."

Whitmarsh admitted he was proud about his new role, and said Dennis's decision was not such a surprise for him.

"I'm very proud to have been a member of this organisation for 20 years and I am very proud to have any senior position at McLaren," he said.

"For me and for a lot of people, it's not such a shock! So for me it's something that I've perhaps had other opportunities over the years - I have to say less so these days maybe because I'm getting older!

"But within the industry it's well known that I've never had an ambition to work at another team. I am massively privileged and I walk into the engineering office and see some phenomenal people and know that I had a hand in recruiting them and developing them early in their careers.

"All of them are cleverer than me, so that's reassuring! The depth of this team is phenomenal. We make mistakes, we're not perfect, we could be better and I and everyone here is committed to getting better as a team."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72826

[Gert]

Good riddance - can't wait to see him gone!

You'll have to wait quite a bit longer then - a good 20 odd years perhaps.

[8-ball]

The time comes for every man to step back and leave the limelight. RD has done a good job and now Martin can step smoothly into the gap. Now the FIA might treat Mclaren a little better now there divisive team principal is gone!

[Gaz]

Good riddance - can't wait to see him gone!

Why?