08/01/2008
NEWS STORY
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While Bernie Ecclestone - fresh from his appearance on Jools Holland's (pre-recorded) New Year Show, where he was helping promote (daughter) Tamara's new career as a fashion designer - was a surprise guest at yesterday's McLaren launch, sceptics couldn't help but notice Ron Dennis' apparent desire to remain in the shadows.
In the wake of the spy saga, and the team's shock apology in December, there has been mounting speculation regarding Dennis' position within the team, which he took control of in 1980. And despite Dennis' claim in mid-December that he is "not going to quit" and "that is 100 per cent" the whispers continue.
McLaren originally said that its new car would get a low-profile unveiling at Jerez, however, days later it was revealed that the car would be launched at Mercedes-Benz Stuttgart HQ, prompting speculation that the German manufacturer was shaping up for a possible buy-out of Dennis' remaining stock in the company.
Following a year which promised so much but which ultimately ended in ruins, with his own reputation openly questioned in the media, Dennis remained positive yesterday, dismissing talk of stepping down.
"We are formulating the future in lots of ways," he told reporters, "and there is absolutely no decision on anything that relates to anybody's position within the company. We are very focused on the future, know what we're doing and where we are going, it's as simple as that. There is no real change in any shape or form."
Despite criticism in the media, and further verbal attacks from FIA President Max Mosley, who in December said he "despised" Dennis' attitude to Formula One, and rubbished the Englishman's claim to being passionate about F1, stating that the Woking team boss is only "passionate about McLaren finishing first and second in every race", Dennis insists that he has put the nightmare of 2007 behind him, and is concentrating on 2008 and beyond.
"I'm just thinking about the future," he said. "I am very focused on the future. We wanted to put ourselves in the position of looking forward and concentrating on what we do best, which is to win races.
"My enthusiasm is as strong as you would expect it to be having done it for the best part of 40 years," he added. "I am a racer at heart."
Having sold 30 percent of the company to Bahrain's Mumtalakat Holding in early 2007, much to the annoyance of Mercedes-Benz, which owns 40 percent, Dennis retains 15 percent of the company, with Mansour Ojjeh holding the remaining 15 percent.
On another note... it's almost impossible to look at the picture above and not think of the classic Frank Sinatra song My Way.