Dennis to make changes at McLaren after being appointed Group CEO By Jonathan Noble Thursday, January 16th 2014, 18:14 GMT From Autosport.com McLaren looks set for a major management overhaul ahead of the 2014 Formula 1 season, AUTOSPORT has learned, after former team boss Ron Dennis was appointed as Group CEO. After the announcement, Dennis has vowed to bring change to McLaren to get it back to the front of the Formula 1 grid following a disappointing 2013 season. AUTOSPORT understands that Dennis addressed factory staff in Woking on Thursday afternoon to outline his increased responsibilities to the F1 team. He also made it clear that a new structure was likely to be put in place, and a change of team principal cannot be ruled out. "There will be changes," he told the staff during the address that lasted for 20 minutes. "We will win again." Current team boss Martin Whitmarsh, who was not present for the address, remains in charge for now and sources insist that no decision has been taken yet on whether or not he will be replaced. A final call on the matter will however be made in February, when Dennis will outline whether Whitmarsh stays or if another figure will be appointed to run the F1 team. Dennis, who was team principal from 1982 to 2009, has replaced Whitmarsh as the Group CEO with immediate effect. In statement issued by the team, Dennis outlined that he had been appointed to the role with the mandate of doing whatever is necessary to get McLaren back on track. "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," he said. "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."
"Current team boss Martin Whitmarsh, who was not present for the address, remains in charge for now and sources insist that no decision has been taken yet on whether or not he will be replaced." Thi certainly says something.
This is great news! I used to deeply enjoy seeing Ron's smug face being wiped after another McCheater mess One of my favourite Ron moments (although sadly not all captured in this clip). [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWJCGInsVUs]Alonso V Hamilton ( Hungary '07 ) - YouTube[/ame]
Other big news happening. See my thread. http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/f1/434916-bernie-steps-down.html
How many times has Dennis spoken with Ross Brawn you think? BBC Sport - Fernando Alonso: Ron Dennis would not stop return to McLaren And then there's this.
BBC Sport - McLaren: Ron Dennis replaces Martin Whitmarsh as CEO in coup Talk of Ross etc and more about this from the BBC. Change is coming at Mclaren!
Too late for 2014 probably, but McLaren's form in 2015nshould be terrific: McLaren with Honda and Ron Dennis in charge. I guess Jenson Button will be gone then, and Dennis will have found a replacement.
You guys do know that Ron Dennis owns a huge chunk of McL. This is not the case of some guy being hired to run the company. It is his baby, in large part. He will get results.
And he never really left - he ceded control of the McLaren Group to Whitmarsh so that he could focus on the ramp up of their McLaren Automotive effort these past few years. He was still very involved, just not the one leading the charge and making all the decisions on the racing side. He, more than anyone else there, most certainly bleeds orange. We are 8 days away from the reveal of their 2014 Formula One entry being revealed - at this point I think it is fair to say we can expect Whitmarsh to be absent from that announcement as well. When does Ross' 6 month hiatus end? >8^) ER
