06/05/2016
NEWS STORY
McLaren has dismissed claims that Ron Dennis is seeking to block new customer engine regulations.
In the wake of last week's confirmation that that rules governing engines in 2017 and 2018 have been agreed, there have been reports that McLaren’s Ron Dennis is unhappy with some aspects of the new rules, specifically the supply of engines to customer teams.
It is claimed that Dennis particularly objects to the rule whereby the FIA now has the power to enforce deals between the engine manufacturers and those teams trying to secure a customer deal, as was the case with Red Bull last year.
Indeed, it has been reported that Dennis doubts the legality of the clause that states a manufacturer must; "if called upon to do so by the FIA, supply at least three teams", and is preparing to take legal action.
The German media quotes Dennis as telling Christian Horner: "You will never get an engine from Honda. Rather, I would sue the FIA over the new rule."
A spokesperson for the Woking team, when contacted, told Pitpass: "We have been and remain part of a healthy debate around the issues of power unit convergence and sport stability.
"As we are still in dialogue it would be unhelpful to that ongoing debate to focus on areas in which agreement has not yet been achieved, and to express those differences of approach in the media.
"Specifically, however, we confirm that we are absolutely supportive of Honda, and supported by Honda, in all such discussions."
According to our sources, McLaren has no intention of suing the FIA. Moreover, we know that, in the modern era of F1, McLaren takes its responsibilities as one of the 'grandee' teams very seriously, having acted for the common good in many ways in recent years. Witness its active and enthusiastic leadership of FOTA; as well as inaugurating partnerships designed to assist 'lesser' teams with technical support arrangements, Force India, and Marussia being prime examples, as well as best efforts to help struggling teams including championing Ross Brawn's eventually successful bid to secure an engine supply for his team from Mercedes-Benz when Honda exited the sport at the eleventh hour in late 2008.
Indeed, we have learned that Ron Dennis has personally and recently called for all the teams' most expert marketers to be permitted to exert greater concerted influence on initiatives designed to improve the 'show', which initiatives are currently being perhaps less than well stewarded by the FIA and FOM.