Is Ron Dennis going to be dismissed?

Question

The McLaren apology was signed by Martin Whitmarsh.

And Heikki's arrival at McLaren was also announced and explained by Martin Whitmarsh.

Where did Ron go? The FIA cancelling the February WMSC meeting along with the shocking McLaren apology all leads the final closure to Ron.

I am 100% sure that all these spying events occured behind Ron's back and his emotional statement at Silverstone was genuine but unfortunately most likely based on an incomplete investigation of the team back then.

But as Team Principal, CEO, and Chairman of McLaren, the blame eventually gets to the top of the chain of command.

So will Ron be forced to pay the price with his job?

If Ron leaves, my heart will break into a thousand pieces. I cannot imagine McLaren without Ron.

Your thoughts?

And what I hear in the news does not help either. Please Ron don't go!

http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_2972541,00.html

I will admit that Ron could have been a little more "shrewd" on his management/employees in light of this issue from the very beginning.

It is completely ridiculous to blame Ron Dennis for all the actions his employees choose to do behind his back. I will NEVER believe Ron was the culrpit here...it is impossible.

Answer 1

i am a football fan as well, and when the family and friends are watching the game and the ref calls a penalty on our team everyone calls shenanigans, even if our guy all but mugged the other guy, i find myself the only one in a room full of people looking fairly at the play on the field, if the ref didn't see it, it would be just fine with me, if the ref did see it and decided not to call a penalty same thing, but if the call is legit then i have to be honest with myself and admit its legit,

be honest with yourself, Ron Dennis is as guilty as the rest of the team, your saying hes in charge of everything but doesn't know anything? then he should be fired for incompetence, should he be fired from the team for spying? i don't think so, but if he is, you cant say it isn't justified, especially in light of the apology released yesterday,

Answer 2

It is weird that it's Martin Whitmarsh who's facing the media and not Ron Dennis. But Ron built McLaren and it's hard to imagine McLaren without him. I don't think he'll leave McLaren right now. People look for someone to blame and here Ron is chosen to bear it. It's possible that the spying happened without Ron's knowledge. He didn't even know Alonso was the recepient of several incriminating e-mails until Alonso supposedly blackmailed him at the beginning of September and threatened to inform the FIA. Ron didn't even know those e-mails were a very serious threat until everything else happened.

Possibly Ron could be taking some time off or just delegating his other duties so that when he wants to leave, the people ariound him know how to manage the team. I don't think Ron would leave now and he will only do so if heavily pressured. He'd want to bring back stability to the team and push the team forward, let others forget about the incidents of this year. Rebuild the team's reputation

Answer 3

Well said Mark. I fully agree and feel the same way about Ron Dennis. It was Ron who saved McLaren when we were about to close down and it was Ron who kept the McLaren name for the team when he took over and turned it into the greatest F1 team ever. Ron is also completely honest and a true gentleman of integrity and had nothing to do with this spy farce. Ron's only mistake was to trust and think everybody at McLaren was as honest as he is when in fact the rotten apples at McLaren were Fernando Alonso, Mike Coughlan and a couple of others behind the scenes. I have heared the rumours Marc but I have full faith Ron Dennis will stay despite the cruel, unjust and unprecedented attacks on McLaren and Ron Dennis. Ron Dennis is a fighter not a quitter and though Ron looks tired and broken by it all, with the support of nearly everybody at McLaren, Ron will continue at least until McLaren return to the top again and have our name cleared from all these lies by the Ferrari tribe and the Fia.

Answer 4

I don't think so. Ron is the key to McLaren's success. Without him, McLaren wouldn't be quite McLaren, you know.... it's just weird without Ron there.

Besides, McLaren is now doing really well- I don't think Ron will leave voluntarily. If he is going to be dismissed, that will probably cause some controversy again and that's the last thing that any F1 fan need to hear about right now.

Answer 5

I hope not. Rd IS mclaren. I have a lot of respect for the guy for putting up with all the spy crap and still standing behind his team 100%. His conduct this year is what really drew me to the team. I don't know why his name did not come up in the announcement and the apology note but i'm sure we'll find out in the coming days. I think if they dismiss RD, mclaren will lose a lot of fans as well.

Once again, i am amazed at how quickly the press and some fans can turn on someone. It happened with the english rugby team, lewis hamilton, ricky hatton (to some extent) and now RD.

Answer 6

Can`t see Ron going myself, he`s an integral part of McLaren. He`d taken enough stick and I think it was best to keep him out of the way until some of the dust had settled and detract some of the blame from him.The thing that makes me laugh is that this sort of scandal has been going on since motor racing began, it`s just that the offenders got over confident, previously people carried the data around in their heads or scraps of paper.

Answer 7

I know RD IS McLaren but he hasn't really handled well. I know you want to see McLaren continue on and be well but RD might not be the solution. You don't need to get rid of him, rather keep him still in the team but give the team boss seat for Martin for a while. But then again this sport is cutthroat...

Answer 8

Perhaps there were a lot of things going on behind RD's back as individuals knew Ron would not tolerate what they were up to....but as is often seen in the business world the top guy has to accept the heat when scandals such as this happen. It may cost Ron his job, it will be the racing worlds loss if it does.

Answer 9

I think mercedes wants, (and they are going to) to take over the 100% of the Team in the next 5 to 10 years.
So when it happens Ron will go home.

Answer 10

oh Marc you said it so well. I too would be heartbroken. as RBR fan says, Ron is McLaren. I would shed some tears, that is for sure.