Dennis to stay

Ron Dennis has insisted suggestions that he will take a step back from running McLaren are wide of the mark, and that he will continue in his current role.

In recent years Dennis has delegated more day-to-day Formula 1 tasks to his number two, Martin Whitmarsh, but he remains in charge of the McLaren Group as a whole. It has been speculated that the recent announcement of his separation from wife Lisa might affect his career plans.

At the Australian Grand Prix Dennis acknowledged that Whitmarsh would one day take the reins, but said he will stay on for now because he felt he still had something to contribute.

“Martin is the chief operating officer of the group and chief executive officer of the F1 team,” said Dennis. “He does the lion’s share of the work now. But I’m here by choice.

“I know how much Martin wants the job. However distant it is in the future, it will be a seamless transition.”

Dennis missed the Malaysian GP for non-F1 reasons but told the press not to read too much into it.