In the early part of last year, I actually bumped into Ron Dennis in a private doctors clinic in central London. For someone who has watched F1 since they were born, this was quite a surprise and I was very excited to have the opportunity to speak with him.
During our conversation I proposed the idea that given the number of high level engineers taken on in recent years by Mercedes, they represented a very clear and growing threat to the competitive order of F1 and would be the team to watch out for in 2014. To my surprise, he ridiculed the idea and didn't seem to take the threat from Mercedes seriously. I am sure he is taking them seriously now...
Also, during our conversation, we spoke about the McLaren F1 team and his role within the overall McLaren company and Ron Dennis mentioned that he was currently in a position where he could only 'grin and bear it' with respect to the performance of the F1 team but things were underway that may change that in the future... We can all now see what he meant with the removal of Martin Whitmarsh as team principal and Ron Dennis convincing the McLaren shareholders to put him back in charge of the ailing F1 team.
And now that he is in charge, you can see that he is using the same determination, perseverance and sheer brute force to steer the team back onto a course to success. I realize I do not speak from any position of authority but as an outsider looking in, perhaps I can see things more dispassionately than those in thick of the battle, a la Mr Dennis and his ridiculing of the Mercedes threat. Therefore, as an objective observer, I cannot help but be impressed at the changes underway at the Mclaren F1 team.
Firstly, after a long and successful partnership with Mercedes as an engine supplier, McLaren have taken the difficult but necessary decision to cut their ties with the strongest engine supplier in F1 (by far at the moment) and join with Honda - an unknown quantity in the new turbo era of F1. Realistically, Honda are very likely going to take 2 or 3 years just to catch up with Mercedes, if they ever can under the current engine rules. But you never know, they may manage it sooner...
Next, McLaren and Honda have made the very expensive decision to hire arguably the most rounded F1 driver on the grid for the last 10 years, Fernando Alonso. Expensive but worth it. Fernando has a mental strength and competitive determination that is only rivaled by Ron Dennis himself - perhaps this is why it didn't work last time round. More tellingly and more indicative of the sheer determination of the new partnership to get back onto winning ways asap. the team have retained Button as a driver. This will undoubtedly speed up the development of the car and lead to more consistent results (and thus points) on track. Button is a cunning one but he won't be able to mess with Alonso's head like he did with Hamilton resulting in Button being the only team mate to ever beat Hamilton over a season.
Lastly, you have the technical staff that have recently changed hands. McLaren never wanted to let Adrian Newey go and with Peter Podromou returning from Red Bull, where he has worked with Adrian since approx. 2007, along with one other close associate of Adrian's, this undoubtedly strengthens a key area that has needed improvement at McLaren for the last several years (and was something even Hamilton complained about towards the end of his stint there) the car's aerodynamics.
Therefore, I believe, out of all the teams currently undergoing fundamental re-organisations (Red Bull, Ferrari etc.) I am most excited about McLaren. With Ron Dennis back in place, the new engine deal, the driver line-up and the additional technical staff, I believe that McLaren pose the greatest realistic possibility of regaining a top position within the pecking order of F1. Unquestionably this will most likely take 2 to 3 years under the current, unchanged regulations but given this time, McLaren can become a true threat to Mercedes. I would advise Ron of this if I had the chance but something tells me he knows this little hunch of mine already...
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