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British GP: Friday Press Conference

NEWS STORY
06/07/2007

Ron, a lot has happened since the initial invitation to you to come to this press conference, and perhaps the emphasis has slightly changed from one subject to another. We understand, obviously, that for legal reasons you are limited as to what you can say, but is there anything you can update us on about the finding of Ferrari data in the home of one of your employees?
Ron Dennis: Well, I think you accurately say that it was in that person's home. We've been very specific in our press releases. This concerns the intellectual property of another Grand Prix team and there is no intellectual property of another Grand Prix team on our cars, nor will there be, nor has there ever been. We have very high standards in our organisation. My own integrity is woven into the fabric of our company and I am now, having supervised a very detailed investigation within our own organisation, able to say that with absolute certainty that as this unfolds over the next few days, people will clearly understand all the facts behind what has been a difficult experience for McLaren. I can attempt to answer questions, but I want to be constrained in what I say because there are lots of people's reputations at stake here, not just our company's. But in speaking for our company, we, I'm sure, will be completely vindicated with the passing of time.

A question for all of you about Lewis's career, because Lewis has come into Formula One with remarkable success and I think with incredible preparation and incredible back-up from McLaren. I'm just wondering if that has re-defined the job of a Grand Prix racing driver because it has almost become a full-time job in that Lewis spends so much time at the factory. Is this a new way of introducing drivers to Formula One?
Christian Horner: I think that obviously Lewis has arrived in Formula One very well prepared. McLaren have done an impeccable job in grooming him for his entry into Formula One but at the end of the day he still had to go and win the races, win the championships that he's competed in to prove his ability. He's made this step up into Formula One and he looks, for somebody in their seventh or eighth race, he looks like a guy who could well be in his 80th or 200th Grand Prix. That's certainly impressive. That shows the calibre of youngsters as well in the lower category and it's something that Red Bull, through the young driver programme, has invested in heavily over the last few years to bring youngsters all the way from karting ultimately to a Grand Prix seat.

David CoulthaRD: Having been part of the McLaren system, I know some of the facilities that they had up to the point that I left, and I would be surprised if any Grand Prix team has quite as complete a package in simulation devices that the drivers can use. Its obviously a state-of-the-art facility, more modern probably than anyone else's out there. As Christian has said, though, all the way through Lewis has had to prove himself, otherwise he wouldn't be sitting here. It's not charity work that McLaren are doing. They invested because they saw the talent and they've helped him develop that over the time. As to how much time a driver spends at the factory, I think that what tends to happen - and I lived through it all those years ago - is that the guys in their first years, they're so approachable, so nice, still fly EasyJet, go to the factory all of the time, all of those things. When I was test driver at Williams, I was at the factory every day, because frankly I had nothing else to do. I was trying to soak up as much information and create a career for the future. As Lewis inevitably moves off-shore and grows into his life, he will inevitably spend less time at the factory because there just won't be the time. He will need energy, recovery time to maintain the level that he's achieved already over the next 10-15 years, however long he wants to be in Formula One. So I think that expanding on the question a little bit, I don't think that you can just put the lid on the box of 'this is the blueprint' because I think it's a continually evolving process. I think that's the fantastic thing about Formula One and our business is that you can never say 'right, that's it.' You always have to try and find another way, another edge and improve constantly, and I'm sure McLaren are doing that as we are trying to at Red Bull and you should all be doing as well, to have life evolution, job evolution.

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