McLaren: a new mindset instilled by Ron Dennis
The return of Ron Dennis to McLaren is not merely symbolic. The team's historic figure, through the intensity of his commitment, has managed to create a new mindset in Woking according to Jenson Button and Eric Boullier.
Excluded due to poor results after a disastrous 2013 season without any podiums, Martin Whitmarsh was swiftly replaced as the executive director of McLaren by a certain Ron Dennis. Team principal for almost thirty years, the Woking native is certainly imposing.
Although he is 66 years old, Ron Dennis remains dynamic according to Jenson Button: « I have often talked to the guys during tests and in the garage, and I asked them how they felt about Ron being around them more often. They told me they would be a little more on their guard, but I think they are happy about it. »
For the 2009 world champion, Ron Dennis has indeed changed the working atmosphere in Woking: « There is a great atmosphere in the team. The guys are not just there to work and earn a salary; they love their job and they love succeeding. They want to succeed, and they think that Ron’s return at their helm is the best thing for that. » Martin Whitmarsh, accused between the lines of having let a defeatist atmosphere settle in the team, will appreciate this in passing.
One could also question a possible overstepping of function by Ron Dennis when he came to the pit wall in Australia, where only Eric Boullier, the director of track operations, was expected. Hyperactive, Ron Dennis? The Frenchman won’t contradict us: « He communicates a lot with the team on every detail. He is passionate and loves to win. So yes, he wants to check everything. He told everyone he would be there as an observer, and he wants to observe everything ».
If the development of the MP4-29 began well before Ron Dennis’ return to a position so close to the F1 branch of the English manufacturer, his return seems to have played a significant role in boosting the morale of the team affected by the 2013 season.
