06/03/2014
NEWS STORY
Following on from its worst season in living memory, McLaren boss Ron Dennis is confident his Woking team will get back to its winning ways this year.
Fact is, 2013 was the Woking outfit's worst season for 33 years. It was the team's first season without finishing on the podium since 1980, and never qualified in the top five, its worst record since 1983. It was also the British team's first season without a win since 2006.
Consequently, few were surprised that Martin Whitmarsh was to effectively fall on his sword, Ron Dennis returning to take overall charge of the operation and Eric Boullier appointed Racing Director.
Speaking to reporters at the MTC today, a defiant Dennis demonstrated that his desire to win is as strong as ever, a desire that he is determined to see permeate throughout his organisation.
"I believe we will win races this year," he said. "How many? I don't know. How soon? I don't know.
"The focus and commitment I've given to this part of the company is huge," he continued. "If everyone matches my passion, commitment and focus, we will most definitely win.
"The company was a little unfit," he admitted, "it needs to get fit and there is pain to getting fit. Hopefully everybody has got the right mind-set to understand what we expect of each other and what I expect of them. It takes time. You've got to give people time to understand what's expected of them and if they don't get there, they won't be with the company."
While refusing to reveal Martin Whitmarsh's role with McLaren, or whether he is still with the company, Dennis also refused to blame the former Team Principal, demonstrating the loyalty that has long been one of his trademarks.
"I appointed Martin to this company twenty-odd years ago, and he has been alongside me for those twenty years," said Dennis. "He is a friend and he has always been a friend. The situation is one-hundred percent between him and me until its resolution.
"I know I am tough, I know people have different opinions of how I run companies and how I function, and people see my attention to detail as a negative," he admitted. "But I see it as a positive. One thing I am is very principled, and the behaviour of this company to its employees is exceptional. There is a way to do things, and I have to lead by example to everybody. The situation with Martin is absolutely between him and me."
However, in a move that will surprise many, Dennis revealed that both Whitmarsh and he had approached Boullier in terms of the Race Director role, though neither was aware of the other's move.
"Strangely enough outside of the company, meaning not in any capacity, I made contact," said Dennis of his approach to Boullier. "Pretty much in parallel Martin made contact, so there was a bit of overlap."
Explaining the decision to return to the helm, he said: "With all of the changes you make, you don't suddenly go to everybody and say, 'Guess what, these are the changes’. For some time I have been discussing with the shareholders and with everybody that this is not working. So inevitably Martin had to face the facts and it was not working.
Explaining how he re-took control, he admitted that at the beginning of the year he announced his intentions to his fellow shareholder.
"They had six days to decide," said Dennis. "That was the window. And on the sixth day the decision was taken."
Chris Balfe