McLaren better of without Ron Dennis?
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to quote JA:
There is a confidence about McLaren this year, combined with a calmness, which frankly wasn’t there when Ron Dennis was running the team, as he set people on edge.
Ron Dennis has obviously done an incredible amount at McLaren, a lot of the modern McLaren is made in his image. However, it seems even Ron Dennis realises, he should have left earlier. Recently on BBC he admitted, he should have ‘retired’ a long time ago.
Is this a new era for McLaren, is this new McLaren more faithful to the original Bruce McLaren character and feel about the team?
Personally, I really like it. This ‘new’ team spirit is fantastic and kind of allows me to support them 100% now. I never liked the way Ron Dennis controlled everything, it was far to tight, and when things are to tight, they often crack. 2007 seems to be a case in point.
You’re very right. Since Whithmarsh has taken over fully, the team is more friendly it seems. Whitmarsh is also very open and friendly, wich I enjoy!
McLaren now looks more like a ‘fun’ place to work, and they have been doing a great job!
I think so, yes, first of all because there isn’t a Ron Dennis to clash with the FIA and as a result have the team penalised..but then again, there isn’t a Mosley anymore..and Dennis has started to show up at races after Todt’s appointment as head of the FIA
but yes, the team is a lot more colorful and less repugnant than before
I think there’s a breath of fresh air with the teams in general at the mo since Dennis, Todt and Briatore have all gone onto other things.
It’s nice, it’s the start of a new era for Mclaren and Whitmarsh seems like a pleasant chap. Dennis achieved a hell of a lot and certainly was a personality but it was time for a change it seems.
Whitmarsh has united the team in a way that Dennis was not able to. If He was still in charge there would not be the love in between the drivers. I said in the round up that the pairing of the two is one of the very best I’ve seen in F1 and I do think that this is mostly down to the new management. It would have been very interesting to have had forums and sites like this when uncle Ron was at his crazy best.
Whitmarsh is solidly impressing as FOTA chairman. The FOTA Fans forum on the weekend, he gave the appearance of a man who loved being where he was in life, in his team, and in his sport. He’s reasonable, well balanced, open to suggestions, doesn’t seem to hold any grudges or chips on his shoulders.
Yup, it’s really nice to feel inclined to dislike half the time. I can’t stand Briatore, Mosley, and I really like Dennis’ achievements and admire his genius(?), but his people skills were less than endearing to say the least.
I don’t think that Dennis is/was a particularly likeable person, but he was massively successful and driven to succeed and I respect that.
Rampante knocks it on the head, uncle Ron was a nutter, man was insanley driven, he’d had enough sucsess by the start of the 00’s to move on and expand McLaren but he just wanted more. Still what he acheived with McLaren, taking the team from failing ex-champions doomed to go the way of so many teams with past glory, to perpetual powerhouse, the second longest lived team in F1 history was quite incredible.
Still Whitmarsh is a lot easier to cope with, an McLaren is indeed much nicer under him.
It would have been very interesting to have had forums and sites like this when uncle Ron was at his crazy best.
Indeed it would have as perhaps I would have heard more of some of this fellow known as “Crazy Ron”. Although I did hear a rather amusing story that he has the gravel on his drive lifted twice a year and cleaned fully before it is re-laid…
I have to say I miss the old Ron vs Jean vs Flavio battles, I dont think McLaren are doing any better or worse than when they had Ron, Martin Whitmarsh is a very capable guy after all.
As far as the drivers getting along goes, well for one thing it’s too early to count our chickens, but I think it’s mostly down to Jenson’s personality rather than the change in management.
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