McLaren chief executive Sir Ronald of Dennis used Friday's spangly car launch as a platform to announce the end of his long reign as the de-facto boss of the team, allowing McLaren CEO Martin Whitmarsh to step into the role for the 2009 season and beyond.
Dennis plans to step down from his role as team principal before the 2009 season kicks off in Melbourne on March 29th, with Whitmarsh assuming the position as of the 1st of the month. Dennis was at pains to point out that he was not retiring, and that he will be focusing on other projects within the McLaren company, including the launch of their latest super-fast, super-expensive road car. He still plans to attend "some races" in 2009. Dennis took over the McLaren outfit in late 1980, and despite the team being stuck in an uncompetitive streak at the time, they went on to win seven constructors titles and 10 drivers titles during Dennis's time in charge, most recently with Lewis Hamilton last season.
"I stress nothing to get too excited about but it is absolute time for Martin to take over as team principal," Dennis rambled to the assembled press, "I intend to work harder and will take on greater responsibility in the group. I will be full executive chairman. It is time and I have to say it is absolutely 100 percent my decision. It is what I want to do, but I do intend to work much harder."
"Don't see it as some sort of retirement, I want to work harder in other areas and having to plan those tasks around the GP calendar is disruptive to the process. It is a job that Martin will embrace and enjoy. It is a job over the years we have shared anyway, but it will be his decision to influence things at a grand prix circuit."
The move by Dennis ends the protracted behind the scenes politick that has rumbled on in the team for some time. The confusingly similar roles of Dennis and Whitmarsh, who was formerly the CEO of the team, was long believed to be unsatisfactory, and rumours abounded last year that Dennis would actually go before 2008 began, but it seems like Dennis was determined not to leave the 2007 Spygate issue as his legacy.
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