News straight out of Woking: Ron Dennis has announced that he will stand down as team principal of McLaren.
Speaking at the launch of the MP2-24 – McLaren’s 2009 F1 car – Dennis stated that he was handing over the reins to current number two Martin Whitmarsh on March 1.
“It’s time for Martin to take over,” said Dennis, in a low-key announcement. “This is a job he will embrace and from now most race-day decision will be his.”
Dennis has run McLaren’s F1 operation since 1981, and will stay on as chief executive of the McLaren Group of companies. “It’s time, and it’s absolutely 100 per cent my decision. It’s what I want to do,” he said.
Whitmarsh has been head of operations at McLaren since 1989, and has been Dennis’s second-in-command in the pit lane for several years. “It doesn’t feel like a bombshell to me,” he said. “Ron has reached this point and I was keen for him to dictate a timeframe, but I certainly didn’t push him.”
So, is this good news or bad for McLaren?
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What do you think?
tejas commented on this article
Saturday January 17, 2009 at 7:01 pm
waiting for the book though
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emily13 c/ham commented on this article
Saturday January 17, 2009 at 7:11 pm
it’s sad that he’s stepping down but im still ecstatic abwt the new car it looks astonishing!!
HAMILTON ROCKS
TOPGEAR RULES
=]
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emily13 c/ham commented on this article
Saturday January 17, 2009 at 7:13 pm
n tejas.. dont diss hamilton matey
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tejas commented on this article
Saturday January 17, 2009 at 7:43 pm
exactly
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tejas commented on this article
Saturday January 17, 2009 at 7:45 pm
the only reason people don’t like him is his attitude.
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Marcus commented on this article
Saturday January 17, 2009 at 8:19 pm
No Ron don’t go!
People have their opinions about him that they’ve developed from their limited experience of who he actually is (I personally greatly admire him), but you have to admit, he was great at what he did.
Let’s all start a virtual, Hollywood-style applause exit for him. One person stands up and starts clapping slowly, then everyone else joins in…
Thanks for everything Ron!
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rich commented on this article
Sunday January 18, 2009 at 11:44 am
I am disappointed that Ron is stepping down as he has been one of the major faces of formula one for many years. He has also fought for some of the best safety improvments and general improvements to the sport.
He will be missed
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What commented on this article
Sunday January 18, 2009 at 2:59 pm
I still blame him for the snafu that was the 2007 season…
They could have won it all if it wasnt for the management (and favoring lewis too early)…
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Stig's Irish Cousin commented on this article
Sunday January 18, 2009 at 10:16 pm
I was quite shocked to hear Ron was stepping down. Is he getting out because he thinks the F1 team are going down? Or is he just trying to get out of the bet to give Lewis his McLaren F1?! Either way it looks like he’s going to put some time into the new McLaren road car which hopefully won’t get shelved with the “economic downturn” now, that is definitely going to be worth waiting for.
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Valentino Rossi commented on this article
Monday January 19, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Ron, McLaren sucks man! Renault rocks the house doug!
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J. Stevens commented on this article
Monday January 19, 2009 at 10:04 pm
I don’t think it will damage the team, so long as the BBC can still find him in the pits for his genius sound bites… I guess he just wanted to step down on a high, his wunderkind is world champion and everyone knows they trounced Ferrari the year before in the constructors title. I think all bets are off this season, too many changes and variables to make an educated guess.
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dontknow commented on this article
Tuesday January 20, 2009 at 7:27 am
i am very disapointed in ron see ya
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dontknow commented on this article
Tuesday January 20, 2009 at 7:30 am
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrr
ooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnn
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnn
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnn
ddddddddddddddddddddddddd ddddddddddddddddddddddddd dddd
ooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnn
””””””””””””””””””””””””” ””
ttttttttttttttttttttttttt ttttttttttttttttttttttttt tttt
ggggggggggggggggggggggggg ggggggggggggggggggggggggg gggg
ooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo
ron don’t go
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lewis hamilton commented on this article
Tuesday January 20, 2009 at 7:33 am
i am really ad because he is my boss
love to you all i will win my first
race in melburne i wont dissapoint
you like ron dennis did
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J Stevens commented on this article
Tuesday January 20, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Methinks Lewis can probably spell Melbourne, although I’ll be honest, there were other things that aroused my suspicion that the previous post may not have been genuine…
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BugattiRyno commented on this article
Friday January 23, 2009 at 5:35 pm
I think that Ron going is good, as the whole team is becoming more modern and young. The new generation with their technology can step in and make the team better and more reliable.
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axf1 commented on this article
Sunday January 25, 2009 at 5:32 pm
im glad he is steping down because he only favoured lewis dumbo hamilton. i love felipe massa and ferrari!!!!!!!!!
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someone commented on this article
Sunday February 22, 2009 at 2:20 pm
hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello
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