Chads996

....like we didn't see this coming.

http://en.espnf1.com/mclaren/motorsp...ry/141925.html

TwentySix

Ron Dennis will seek to bring back McLaren's glory days after Jenson Button and Sergio Pérez endured a miserable F1 season.

Thu 16 January 2014
Martin Whitmarsh's five-year reign as team principal of McLaren is poised to end after the Forula One team announced Ron Dennis will return as chief executive. In the wake of a shareholders' meeting, McLaren Group chairman Dennis has returned to the position he held for 20 years before passing on the baton to Whitmarsh in 2012. It has been decided that after one of the McLaren's worst seasons in their history on track last year, changes are now required, even with the new campaign due to begin in less than a fortnight with the first pre-season test in Jerez. McLaren have yet to issue any statement regarding Whitmarsh's role, but it is understood he will not be at the helm come the first race in Australia in mid-March.

Although Dennis is again Group CEO, he has no intention of returning to his former role as team principal, a position he held from 1982 to 2009 when Whitmarsh stepped up to the plate. But after five years of under-achievement, McLaren clearly believe the time is now right for a change, with Ross Brawn the man likely to take up the reins. Brawn, one of the most successful men in F1, left Mercedes at the end of last year as the team opted for a top-level restructure, believing there was no room any more for the role of team principal. Instead, Mercedes have opted for a triumvirate of power, with Toto Wolff, Paddy Lowe and Niki Lauda the men in charge. Brawn departed stating he would take stock of his career and would likely assess matters in the summer, but it is now almost certain McLaren will come calling earlier than he had anticipated.

In addressing the workforce at McLaren's Technology Centre in Woking on Thursday for 20 minutes, Dennis promised "there will be changes", and the team "will win again", at the end of which he was given a standing ovation. In a statement issued by McLaren, Dennis said: "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. "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."
© 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.

the Guardian article

multi21

Of course he will. The two men responsible for him leaving the pitwall, primarily Max Mosley and now Bernie who seems to be on the back foot with his legal troubles, and the FIA fining McLaren International a hefty $100,000,000 coupled with the non win/non podium year, makes a convenience reentry point.

Whitmarsh seemed inadequate compared with Ron Dennis' bumbling and mismanagement of the team prior to his departure.

I'm going to like this...

gbuff

So much for those fishing trips, Ross.......

Gary

the flyin' scotsman

Ross Brawn with Honda at McLaren......now what driver line up would they start with?

Chads996

Ross Brawn at McLaren will be something to watch.

C

mklaskin

Funny, a few years ago one of the frequent contributors to this forum told me how Ron Dennis was BANNED from Formula 1.

If I could only remember who it was...? Pete, help me out.

Kein_Ersatz

Wasn't the Vodofone sponsorship also up (out) in 2014? Will it be just Honda on the car?

ProCoach

Yes.

multi21

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mot...lton-lies.html

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/dennis-...12407--f1.html

perfectlap

Ron Dennis to the rescue?

You mean the guy who spent the GDP of a European nation between Mika's last and Hamilton's first title only to be beaten like a rag doll by Renault, Ferrari and Ross Brawn on his own for over a decade?


p.s.
Ron Dennis has no class, however much he thinks otherwise.

mklaskin

Pete, I was not referring to you. It was that other guy....

multi21

Understood. I also misinterpreted the original post to believe that Ron Dennis was going to be back as team principal of the F1 team which is now highly unlikely so he will in affect have no day to day handling of the team, but be more like Luca DiMontezemolo and his F1 team.

Brawn has said that he was going to take a full year off and reassess his future in the summer when he will be 60 years old. Fresh reports are saying otherwise.

Ross Brawn is being tipped to replace Martin Whitmarsh and take over as McLaren F1 team principal in the wake of the announcement this week that Ron Dennis has been reappointed as McLaren Group CEO.

According to reports by British newspaper, The Telegraph, the paddock is 'awash with speculation that Brawn could end his sabbatical early to take over'.

“McLaren did not deny the reports, but said they 'would not get involved in commenting on that kind of media speculation',” the paper says.

It also added that Dennis received a standing ovation when it was announced he was returning to the helm on Thursday.

Brawn was linked to a number of positions last year as rumours intensified about his pending exit from Mercedes – something that was made official at the end of November - and in addition to McLaren, it has also been speculated he might go back to Ferrari or join Williams. A role with the FIA has been mooted too. Brawn though has said he won't make any decision until the summer.

“I did have a conversation with him but we were shooting together”, Dennis told BBC Sport last year when quizzed on the Brawn to McLaren speculation.

“We were having a chat and we're mature motor racing people so of course you're going to talk about life. But going beyond that, as you would expect, it's normal stuff. People probe around, the possible, the impossible. My understanding is he intends to take a year off.”

Meanwhile, former F1 racer, John Watson has said he is not convinced there is much truth in the reports.

“Ross Brawn, who left his post at Mercedes last year, is said to be among the leading candidates to replace Whitmarsh if he is forced out. While Ross may not be at Mercedes any more there are contractual obligations which might obstruct him from accepting a job at McLaren, and personally, I can't see it happening,” Watson wrote in an article for The Daily Mail.

“Ross is coming up to his 60th birthday shortly and whether he wants to get back into the maelstrom of Formula One is also up for debate. Would he want to return to the sport? I am not sure. I don't think it is likely, but then again I did not expect Ron to make this move either.”

“[Furthermore] with all that said, if Ron were to announce that he has appointed Ross Brawn as team principal that would draw everybody's breath.

"It would be a massive coup,” Watson concluded.