[dZired]

Ron Dennis, one of the most prominent team principals in the Formula 1 scene, has been asked to step down from his role of Chairman and Chief Executive of the McLaren Group. The decision has been taken after the group's shareholders united to state that Dennis' working style had become autocratic in nature, making it difficult to work under harmony.

Ron Dennis' exit marks an end of his 36-year long stint with the McLaren Group. Though Dennis contributed in various verticals of the group, he will largely be remembered as part of the automaker's F1 arm. Under his reign, the McLaren F1 team earned 7 constructors' championships and 10 drivers' titles, making it one of the most successful Formula 1 teams of all times. He is often referred to as the driving force behind Lewis Hamilton's Formula 1 career, who became the world champion in 2008 driving a McLaren. Dennis has led McLaren in 158 of the team's 182 Grand Prix victories.

However, things haven’t been that great for the team over the recent years. 2015 was McLaren's worst ever season as they managed to finish ninth, just ahead of Manor. In the ongoing 2016 season, McLaren are still a distant sixth. Dennis has also not been able to bring on board a new title sponsor to replace Vodafone. All these factors might have played a part in the shareholders' decision to bid farewell to the team principal.

Despite Dennis stepping down from his position, he will retain his 25% stake in McLaren.

Source: The Guardian

Link to Team-BHP News

[Fullrevs]

From a small team to a massive corporation. Mclaren has Ron Dennis to thank for everything. He finds investors, forms a board and the board ousts him. That's how cut-throat corporate life can be. I wonder how this pans out for Fernando Alonso.

Ferrari went through something quite similar and we all can see what has happened to them.

Thank you Ron for all those epic memories!

[sajands]

Originally Posted by Fullrevs

Thank you Ron for all those epic memories!

Not to forget his support and glorious days with Senna.

[rohitoasis]

If i am not mistaken, in formula 1, there has been no other team principal who handled two towering talents like Prost and Senna at the same time.

What i admire most of Ron Dennis is that he thought of Mclaren other than a formula team. Mclaren F1 was a brainchild of Gordon Murray, Peter Stevens and Ron Dennis all planned while they were waiting for a flight in the airport.

The Automotive group which makes the epic P1 and the sweet 570S all are after all deferred kids of Mclaren automotive dreams.

What i also loved is the discipline he retained in all members of his team. Even the rockstar F1 drivers were properly groomed and had the best decorum when part of this team.

[GTO]

Never a good idea to fight with those who have a bigger share-holding than you .

I've always admired Ron Dennis for managing the best partnerships (e.g. McLaren - Mercedes), hiring amazing people (from Senna to Adrian Newey), his well-known perfectionist nature (he has unbelievable attention to detail) and - above all - letting both his drivers race. Even when Ferrari was blatantly giving team orders in favour of Schumacher, Dennis never told Coulthard to play second fiddle to Hakkinen. Come on, here's the only team boss you know who could handle Prost & Senna together.

It's sad that such an illustrious career at McLaren had to end this way.

Originally Posted by rohitoasis

Even the rockstar F1 drivers were properly groomed and had the best decorum when part of this team.

He famously told his drivers to tuck their shirts in .

[mayankk]

Goodbye Ron!
Thanks for the best team eveh!

And goodbye Ronspeak!

The GOD speaks:
Hakkinen on Ron

[rageshgr]

That is an end of an era. The Jean Todt - Ron Dennis battles were great!

Any idea who the new Boss is?

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by rageshgr

That is an end of an era. The Jean Todt - Ron Dennis battles were great!

Any idea who the new Boss is?

A leading commercial figure in F1, the 44-year-old American Zak Brown, is reportedly favorite to succeed Ron Dennis.

[Hatari]

Great piece on Ron Dennis..
http://m.bbc.com/sport/formula1/38000198

[deetjohn]

Ron tried to fight from being ousted till the very end, but that case was thrown out.

Even though the F1 team is currently not in good shape, McLaren road cars have turned a big corner. The new 675LT is lapping many of the 2016 Car of the Year trophies there is. And that's big deal from a brand which was accused of making boring fax machines in the recent years.

[McLaren Rulez]

While the rumours have been in full swing for a while now, it is still a sudden and rather sad development. The McLaren Group is actually enjoying some of its best days now.

Cars like the P1 have reestablished the halo around McLaren's road cars and all of their cars are near or at the top of their segments. Sales are massively up compared to the 12C days. The lesser known McLaren Applied Technologies is also rapidly growing and reportedly the most profitable wing of the three entities.

Unfortunately, the most visible part of the group is the race team and they've had one season too many of middling performance. Ron's relationship with the other shareholders hasn't been great either, so those two together have led to his ousting.

[jfxavier]

McLaren Technology Group announcement

Posted on Monday, 21 Nov 2016 17:40 (GMT)
McLaren Technology Group is pleased to announce that Zak Brown has accepted the position of Executive Director, McLaren Technology Group, commencing on a soon-to-be-finalised date next month.

In this senior role, Zak's appointment will be a significant part of a restructuring programme that will align the Group's commercial and strategic operations relating to achieving success in Formula 1.

Reporting directly to McLaren Technology Group's Executive Committee, both Jonathan Neale (Chief Operating Officer) and Zak Brown (Executive Director) will jointly lead the businesses as part of the first step in the Group's transition to a new and strengthened organisational structure. The process of identifying and recruiting a new Group Chief Executive Officer will continue.

Zak Brown (Executive Director, McLaren Technology Group) said:

"I'm immensely proud to be joining McLaren Technology Group. I have the utmost respect and admiration for what the business has achieved to date, and I look forward to contributing to the next important phase in its development.

"Having worked closely with McLaren for many years, I've been struck by the talent and ambition of the entire workforce, and I very much look forward to complementing the business's many existing strengths, and building on them to drive future success in everything we do.

"As founder of Just Marketing International (JMI) – now the world's largest motorsport marketing agency – I've often worked closely with McLaren as I say, and I've developed some excellent relationships across the company. Together we've delivered some great sponsorship deals, including Johnnie Walker, GSK, Hilton, Lenovo, Chandon and NTT.

"Best of all, in my new role I'll be able to combine my absolute passion with my unparalleled area of expertise – respectively motorsport and marketing – while ensuring that the two stay totally aligned."

http://www.mclaren.com/formula1/insi...-announcement/

[Fullrevs]

Originally Posted by GTO

He famously told his drivers to tuck their shirts in .

Not to forget. He didn't allow his drivers to grow facial hair either. Back in 2007 Alonso was rumoured to have asked RD if Hamilton's long sideburns were an exception.

Alonso must have taken a pay-cut in his new contract to allow the facial hair. *joking*

Ron Dennis also never gave his drivers the original trophy from a race they won. All of them were given replicas. Such was the etiquette he brought in within his team.

[ajmat]

I wasreading about how he threw a party for his friends at home. It was a fancy dress - Toga party. He cunningly provided carpet slippers to everybody to ensure his house was kept squeaky clean

[Hatari]

I like the bit where he instructed all screw heads at the MTC must be vertical so as not to collect dust!