16/04/2009
NEWS STORY
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The Daily Mail claims that Anthony Hamilton will be "keen" to see Ron Dennis leave F1, suggesting the World Champion's father found the McLaren boss "prickly" and "arrogant".
In his press conference earlier today, the man who bought into the team at the end of 1980 and subsequently guided it to 10 drivers' titles and 7 constructors' championships, readily admitted that Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone will not be sorry to see him leave the sport, however, reading Jonathan McKevoy's article in the Daily Mail, it would appear that the Englishman omitted a third name, that of Anthony Hamilton.
Having described Dennis' decision to sever his F1 ties and head up McLaren Automotive as a move "from the shadows to obscurity", McKevoy, contrary to what the team is saying, claims the move is a "coded attempt to defuse the controversy raging over (Lewis) Hamilton". In other words, 'lie-gate'.
However, of real interest is the article's claims that Dennis' "withdrawal" will "meet with approval in the Hamilton household", where, "Anthony finds Dennis prickly and arrogant", adding that the pair have "not seen"eye to eye for some time".
"It is understood that Hamilton Snr and (Max) Mosley have been in contact over the last few days," McKevoy continues, "with both keen to see Dennis leave the sport".
It is then claimed that the Hamiltons have "sided with (Martin) Whitmarsh since the scandal broke prior to the Malaysian Grand Prix", however it is not made clear who they were siding with the McLaren team principal against. That said, McKevoy tells us: "The fact that they have won the battle means that Lewis is now unlikely to seek to leave".
It would be wrong to start making accusations regarding Mr Hamilton. However, it would be nice to think that if there is no truth to the claims in the article, particularly in light of Ron Dennis' highly impressive record, and the fact that without his support Lewis might never have got to F1, far less the World Championship title, Mr Hamilton will speak out and say so.
However, if what Mr McKevoy writes is correct...