Ron Dennis will decide if he continues as director of McLaren's Formula One team during the 2008 season or turns in the management to Martin Whitmarsh, as some motor-racing sources stated on Monday.
The sources denied there was any kind of pressure coming from the Mercedes Benz Motors supplier, which currently possesses the 40 percent of the team itself, but there were rumors about an imminent decision from the 60-years-old Briton - Ron Dennis.
Whitmarsh, McLaren's current executive president, expressed on Monday to the Guardian, a leading British newspaper that for the time being those rumors are only speculations. He was clear to indicate that it is necessary to stop the gossip going around in the media lately regarding Dennis, as there is not pressure neither on him or his associate.
The McLaren executive indicated that Dennis has been an important part of the team for 19 years and is an incredibly patient person. Dennis has already delegated to Whitmarsh great part of the managerial routine tasks of the team and has referred to the desire to withdraw from the business in the near future.
Last year was a living nightmare for Dennis as McLaren received a fine record of 100 million dollars besides being taken away all their points in the Builders Championship due to a case of espionage that involved a security breach to Ferrari's data.
According to "The Sunday Times", the McLaren's leader did not leave the team last season due to all the speculation which shook the Formula One world as he wanted to be able to settle the problem and clear the team's reputation. The same newspapers published Dennis' statements about wanting to spend more time with his three children and probably making up his mind regarding his future this same week.
Dennis' time in the motor racing world dates back to 1966 when he was a Cooper mechanic and later on became the leader of mechanics in Brabham. In 1980, the British took charge of the McLaren team, which had been founded by Bruce McLaren but was having financial problems. Since Dennis began leading the team it has earned 132 races, seven Builders Championships and nine Pilots titles, but last year it all got a bit off track.
Despite of the dark shadow surrounding the team there is still plenty of hope due to the new racing star Lewis Hamilton who has certainly become the light for a new future at McLaren.
It is known that Dennis feels that as head manager of the Formula One team he has no real quality time to spend with his family and friends as his position is very tense and time consuming. He is certainly going towards a change of priorities. Nevertheless, Dennis believes that making this change now does not affect neither the business or Hamilton's possibilities of winning the championship.
