Ron Dennis re-appointed CEO of McLaren

[Ferrari & Honda]

Ron Dennis re-appointed CEO of McLaren...

16 January 2014 – Ron Dennis has been re-appointed as CEO of the McLaren Group with immediate effect. The 66-year-old takes over from current Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh, whose future at the team is uncertain.

Dennis previously acted as CEO of the Group from 1982 to 2012 and was Team Principal of the marque's Formula 1 arm between the 1982 and 2009 campaigns before becoming Group Chairman in 2013.

Whitmarsh inherited the role of CEO after Dennis stepped back from the front-line of the organisation, but last season the Woking-based outfit failed to record a single podium finish for the first time since 1980.

It has not yet been confirmed how the change in management structure will affect Whitmarsh.

"My fellow shareholders have mandated me to write an exciting new chapter in the story of McLaren, beginning by improving our on-track and off-track performance," said Dennis after his expanded role was announced.

"Over the coming weeks I intend to undertake a thorough and objective review of each of our businesses with the intention of optimising every aspect of our existing operations, whilst identifying new areas of growth that capitalise on our technologies, and where appropriate further investing in them.

"During February, I will articulate a new Group strategy and implement the organisational structure best suited to achieving it. I am excited by the prospect of returning to the role of Group Chief Executive Officer and working with my many colleagues and fellow shareholders to fulfil our objective – which is to win at whatever we do."

Dennis will remain Chairman of McLaren Automotive, the road car subsidiary of the brand.

[Rob]

saw this coming really. Feel for Whitmarsh.

Great Ron is back in paddock every race weekend.

[Ferrari & Honda]

If Ron Dennis can turn around McLaren and make them competitive it is good for the sport. The more teams competitive the better for the sport and business of F1 because the more teams doing well in F1 the less likely they will pull out and take their money and sponsors with them. It's better racing too. I want to see Ferrari and McLaren battling it out like the old days. Plus it's good that Honda is back in the sport. We need more engine manufacturers in F1 too. Who wants to see an F1 grid dominated by Mercedes and Renault engines? Not me

We need Audi/VW, BMW and Toyota in F1 too.

[Rob]

McLaren: Ron Dennis replaces Martin Whitmarsh as CEO in coup
By Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

Ron Dennis has staged an internal coup and wrestled back control of the McLaren Formula 1 team.
The 66-year-old Englishman, who stood down as team principal in 2009 and had been at loggerheads with the McLaren board, has been appointed chief executive officer.
“
We will win again
”
Ron Dennis

He replaces Martin Whitmarsh, whose role as team principal is under threat.
The identity of the team principal will be announced next month, but no-one has yet been sacked or made redundant.

Dennis has been in dispute with Whitmarsh over the past two years and has tried to remove his former protege from his position on several occasions, but failed because of his fractured relationship with the other board members.

It is not clear how that relationship has been repaired.

Dennis told McLaren staff on Thursday that "there will be change" and "we will win again".

In December, he said he had spoken about the future with former Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn, who will be considered a front-runner to be McLaren's new team principal once he has finished a planned six-month sabbatical.

A senior McLaren insider told BBC Sport that Dennis, who has been dissatisfied with the performance of the F1 team for some time, did not want to return to a role on the pit wall at races.

McLaren had their worst season for three decades in 2013, failing to secure a podium finish for the first time since 1980.

McLaren in 2013
Championship position: Sixth
Championship points: 37
Jenson Button results : Ninth (Australia); 17th (Malaysia); fifth (China); 10th (Bahrain); Eighth (Spain); sixth (Monaco); 12th (Canada)
Sergio Perez results: 11th (Australia); ninth (Malaysia); 11th (China); sixth (Bahrain); ninth (Spain); 16th (Monaco); 11th (Canada)
The team have not won a drivers' title since Lewis Hamilton in 2008 and have failed to win the constructors' title since 1998.

In a statement, Dennis said the company's shareholders had "mandated me to write an exciting new chapter in the story of McLaren, beginning by improving our on-track and off-track performance".

He added: "Over the coming weeks, I intend to undertake a thorough and objective review of each of our businesses with the intention of optimising every aspect of our existing operations, while identifying new areas of growth that capitalise on our technologies, and where appropriate further investing in them.
"During February, I will articulate a new Group strategy and implement the organisational structure best suited to achieving it."

There has been no change in the company's shareholding. The Bahrain royal family's Mumtalakat investment fund owns 50%, with Dennis owning 25% and his long-time partner Mansour Ojjeh the remaining 25%.

Ojjeh is recovering from a double lung transplant and has temporarily relinquished his role as a director to his brother Aziz.

Whitmarsh had been trying to persuade Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso to join the team in 2015 but the latest development must make that move highly unlikely now.
Dennis and Alonso fell out in dramatic style when the Spaniard drove for McLaren in 2007.

Last month, Dennis told BBC Sport he would not have a problem with the two-time champion returning to the team, but Alonso has made it clear he still blames Dennis for their past problems.

Alonso is under contract to Ferrari until the end of 2016, although his relationship with the Italian team cooled during a troubled 2013 season.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula-one/25766407

[Hornet]

I actually like Martin Whitmarsh, he comes across as a more honest guy. Heck he wasn't ashamed to come out and admit that McLaren should have handled Alonso situation differently. I like the McLaren under Withmarsh better.

Ron is an egoistic hypocrite.

[Ferrari & Honda]

I actually like Martin Whitmarsh, he comes across as a more honest guy. Heck he wasn't ashamed to come out and admit that McLaren should have handled Alonso situation differently. I like the McLaren under Withmarsh better.

Ron is an egoistic hypocrite.

What did Whitmarsh say about the Alonso situation and how would he have handled it differently?

[leygan]

So now, every rumour about Alonso coming back to McLaren in '15 is off right now, isn't it ?

[Ferrari & Honda]

So Ross Brawn is pretty much going to be working with McLaren when they join up with Honda? A Dennis/Brawn/Honda connection at McLaren seems cool and interesting. It will bring some more excitement back to the F1 grid.

[Hornet]

What did Whitmarsh say about the Alonso situation and how would he have handled it differently?

Unfortunately I couldn't find the exact quote as Google search mostly return 2013 rumors about Alonso and Withmarsh, not something back in 2009 lol. Anyway he didn't say how he would have done differently, he just said they made a mistake and he would have handled the situation differently.

But here I've found an article where Withmarsh admits he regrets losing Alonso, in his own words

Aug.22 (GMM) Martin Whitmarsh has singled out Fernando Alonso's acrimonious departure at the end of 2007 as a "massive regret" of his 20-year McLaren career.

Whitmarsh, now team principal, was Ron Dennis' deputy two years ago, when Spaniard Alonso notoriously clashed with Dennis and rookie Lewis Hamilton and fled back to Renault after a single season under Mercedes power.

"A massive regret to me is losing a star like Fernando," Whitmarsh told the German news agency DPA. "He's one of the greatest racing drivers. I regret that we didn't make it work: we failed to manage the situation.

"This a good team, he is a good driver. We could have had more success than we've had."

His praise of double world champion Alonso, 27, is not an immediate bid to woo the driver back to McLaren, given that at Valencia on Friday he said confidently that Alonso is bound for Ferrari in 2010.

Whitmarsh is however running McLaren with a different style to that of his predecessor Dennis, and it seems reuniting with a driver like Alonso cannot now be ruled out.

"Sometimes we've been too arrogant, we have to accept it," he admitted. "I have been always very open in the company, my style is completely open."

http://www.f1complete.com/content/view/13964/900/

[Ferrari & Honda]

Here's what someone wrote in the comments section...

Perhaps McLaren have forgotton that it was Alonso that blackmailed them during spygate, and gave Max Mosley incriminating emails when Dennis refused to purposefully run hamiltons car out of fuel to give Alonso the win. Short memories Martin, stay well clear of Alonso. McL need to get rid of marting, bring in Brawn, or bring back Dennis.

[Hornet]

Here's what someone wrote in the comments section...

Sounds like just another McLaren fans who assume he knows better of what happened in the team than someone who's actually in the team. It was pretty much McLaren + Lewis vs Alonso by the end of the season, Lewis was their golden child.

Withmarsh knows exactly what went on between Ron Dennis and Alonso, and this is something that remains nothing more than speculation for outsiders as none of the party involved have ever spoken about the details. The only thing the public know of is the consequence of the fallout between Alonso and Dennis. What really happened between them, no one knew.

[Ferrari & Honda]

Will Ron Dennis and Ross Brawn both be back at McLaren? Dennis will be ceo and Brawn will be team principal?

[shamim179]

Whitmarsh is a nice guy very much like Stefano. But that kind of character won't win you championships. Hiring Perez made the results look worse than what they could have been if they hired someone like Hulkenberg or even Alonso should he have fallen out with Ferrari.

We're seeing a resurgence of McLaren here. It's all good because competition is healthy for the sport.

I could be wrong here but with Dennis now in control he is not going to go out of his way to hire Alonso. He probably won't be happy with Hamilton returning if Hamilton ever considers to in the future. This decision was shareholder driven. He must have convinced the other major shareholders to back him and he got what he wanted.

What is going to happen to Whitmarsh now?

[Hornet]

Whitmarsh is a nice guy very much like Stefano. But that kind of character won't win you championships. Hiring Perez made the results look worse than what they could have been if they hired someone like Hulkenberg or even Alonso should he have fallen out with Ferrari.

We're seeing a resurgence of McLaren here. It's all good because competition is healthy for the sport.

I could be wrong here but with Dennis now in control he is not going to go out of his way to hire Alonso. He probably won't be happy with Hamilton returning if Hamilton ever considers to in the future. This decision was shareholder driven. He must have convinced the other major shareholders to back him and he got what he wanted.

What is going to happen to Whitmarsh now?

That's an interesting thought about future drivers. I think his best bet is to go all out to get Vettel, at any cost (maybe even making the same promise he did to Alonso). Luca DM and Horner may have a fight in their hands if they wish to have Vettel in the future

[Kiwi Nick]

Will Lewis go back to Macca, with Ron and Brawn?

[Ed Harley]

Will Lewis go back to Macca, with Ron and Brawn?

I believe so if Mercedes will not deliver.

[Ferrari & Honda]

I think what matters for McLaren and determine how desirable driving for McLaren will be will be how good the Honda engines will be and Honda's role with them. Honda was mediocre to bad with their V10's and V8 engines. When Honda was just only an engine supplier to David Richards' BAR team things were going along pretty good and they finished 2nd in the constructors championship in 2004. Then Honda buys the BAR team from Richards in 2005 and they did a bad job managing the team. When Honda pulled out and Brawn switched to Mercedes engines they saw and immediate performance gain. Jenson Button and Rubens both noticed a big difference when they switched to Mercedes. Honda are experts in inline 4 engines and they would have an advantage over Ferrari if F1 had inline 4 turbos.

When Honda pulled out of F1 Brawn got rid of Showa suspension and switched to Sachs. Honda has a contract with Showa and are loyal to them and pressure teams to use Showa if that team is supplied Honda engines. Problem is Showa suspension/dampers is not too good. I've seen and read some negative things about their performance and quality. When David Richards was running BAR he was using Koni suspension and they performed well. McLaren I still believe are using Koni. It seems every team in auto racing and motorcycle racing that have used Showa has had issues and gets outperformed by other brands. Much better suspension manufacturers out there = Penske, Koni, Sachs, Multimatic, Ohlins.

I hope Honda stays out of the chassis side of things and let's McLaren handle that and Honda just focuses on the drivetrain. I think McLaren makes it's own gearboxes and drive shafts too. So all Honda needs to do is listen to McLaren designers and engineers and design an engine specifically for the McLaren chassis.

I have a bad feeling Honda is looking to get back into owning an F1 team and they will start off by buying a small minority stake/share in McLaren. They did that with BAR and then eventually bought them out.

[Tifoso]

So now, every rumour about Alonso coming back to McLaren in '15 is off right now, isn't it ?

LOL