Autoblog

If you thought rumors spread fast among automotive news sites, that's nothing compared to the speculation that spreads like wildfire around racing paddocks. The latest reports suggest that Ron Dennis, who has successfully directed the McLaren F1 team to seven constructors' titles and nine drivers' championships since taking over the team in the early 1980s, has been sacked. Shareholder and engine partner Mercedes-Benz was reportedly angered by Dennis' management of the spy scandal and his failure to secure the championship. Dennis, who recently separated from Lisa, his wife of 22 years and mother of his three children, controls 15% of the McLaren Group, and according to reports, would be replaced by his deputy Martin Whitmarsh.

The reports come from Spanish sports newspaper Marca, which has been highly critical of McLaren since allegations began to surface of the team's mishandling of its ex-driver, Fernando Alonso. According to Marca, however, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes will be confirming the reports shortly.

[Source: F1-Live, Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty]

Fernando Alonso, recently let go from the telenovela known as the McLaren F1 Team, is in a bit of a quandary. He's looking for a team that can keep him at the top of the standings, but he only wants to sign a contract for a year. That's because the teams he really wants to join, Ferrari or BMW-Sauber, can't even think of making a move until the end of 2008 (and in Ferrari's case, really until the end of 2009). However, the only teams he's got a chance of signing with -- Renault, Red Bull, or Toyota -- have unresolved situations, aren't winners, and won't accept the one-year contract stipulation.

Enter McLaren, which still has a cockpit open, but no one worthy to fill it. The driver the team really wants, Nico Rosberg, would require the jaws of life to be pried out of his Williams contract. The only pilots left are unknowns or as yet unproven. But the driver market will open up in a year... so if they could just find a proven winner who only wanted a one-year contract... then maybe... just maybe....

And that's how Spanish newspaper Diario As has come to report that Alonso's camp is in talks with Ron Dennis and McLaren about going back to the team. Alonso's people have, incredibly, engaged in the dialog, but have passed McLaren a list of conditions such as allowing Alonso to decide his race strategy. Nobody believes the reunion is actually going to happen, although more outlandish things have occurred in F1. Be that as it may, the fact that it's gotten this far is what puts the silly in silly season.

[Source: F1-Live]

F1 panjandrums have been working all year on a suitable definition of the term "non-constructor." If they can get that done soon, and then figure out how to split F1 income among constructors and non, then Prodrive will officially join the 2008 F1 circus.

McLaren and Prodrive have recently signed a "detailed commercial agreement." However, it is being held up due to a lawsuit initiated by Spyker (and supported by Williams) that is now in arbitration. Spyker, an independent full constructor, has argued that allocation of income should be different for Toro Rosso and Super Aguri, since they essentially "buy" cars from other teams. The outcome of that will affect this year's income disbursements as well as next year's.

It isn't revealed yet just how much collaboration there will be between McLaren and Spyker on the chassis-engine package. Regardless, one just hopes McLaren will have a better experience with them than Red Bull and Honda have had with their respective "junior" teams.

[Source: Motor Authority]

The ongoing "Stepneygate" espionage scandal that has embroiled Formula 1 this summer has drawn to a conclusion (for the time being, at least), and the World Motor Sport Council has meted out some severe punishment. McLaren F1 has been stripped of all its constructors' championship points for the 2007 season and fined $100,000,000 USD -- a record amount. This puts Ferrari in the points lead and makes them the probable champions this year. The BBC also reports that McLaren must prove that none of its cars are making use of any improperly-obtained Ferrari intellectual property before the beginning of next year's F1 campaign.

McLaren will finish out the current F1 season on the track, and both Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso have retained their accumulated drivers' championship points. The FIA's findings and the council's reasoning behind its verdict will be released tomorrow. McLaren boss Ron Dennis will apparently wait to see this information before making a final decision on whether he's going to appeal the council's decision, though based on his quotes in the BBC's report, it sounds like his mind's made up, and an appeal is all but inevitable.

Thanks to all who sent tips!

[Source: BBC]

Thursday, September 13th, the World Motor Sport Council will meet to decide on whether McLaren should be punished for industrial espionage in the Stepneygate affair. What had been winding its way to a peaceful conclusion has now been blown back open with the recent revelation that the drivers exchanged information that came from the Ferrari dossier in McLaren's possession.

Some newspapers claim that in the 166 pages of new evidence is enough damaging material that McLaren and its drivers could be excluded from the 2007 F1 World Championship. McLaren boss Ron Dennis has claimed that no one else in the team knew about the dossier -- and this was before it was revealed that the drivers knew. Now it's claimed that not only did the drivers know, but McLaren actually tried some of Ferrari's technical innovations on its car. Ron Dennis is also accused of trying to bring Renault into the affair, but it is unclear how. If things go against McLaren, the Championship-leading team and its drivers could face exclusion from the Championship this year and beyond.

[Source: Daily F1]

The claws were out at McLaren during this past weekend's Hungarian F1, with heated exchanges between drivers Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, and team boss Ron Dennis. The latest outbursts come just a week after a preliminary decision in the F1 spy scandal and shows a usually close-knit McLaren team coming apart at the seams.

The latest tiff was triggered by 22-year old Hamilton ignoring radio orders to allow teammate Alonso to pass on the third round of qualifying. This led to a radio swearing match between Hamilton and his boss Ron Dennis, and also spurred Alonso to later hold up his teammate in the pits, eventually costing the Spaniard his pole position and the team its championship points for the event.

Hamilton managed to win the Hungarian F1 GP after a strong challenge from Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, while Alonso finished up in fourth place, not being able to overcome BMW's Nick Heidfeld who took third. Fellow BMW driver Robert Kubica ended in fifth, ahead of Ralf Schumacher in sixth and Nico Rosberg in seventh. Rounding out the top eight was Renault's Heikki Kovalainen, taking the last point in a disappointing race.

The outcome for McLaren is a pair of world-class drivers who are not speaking to each other. While Dennis expects Alonso to finish out his contract, he reportedly would not stop the champion from leaving the team if he refuses to accept the idea that both he and Lewis are equal drivers. Could he return to Renault where he was a proven winner? Time will tell, but for now, Team McLaren is in limbo after a strange and unfortunate weekend of racing.

[Source: Sports Illustrated, Sporting Life]

Remember the case of the former Ferrari Formula 1 tech who shared his company's secrets with rival McLaren-Mercedes? The FIA has announced that it has concluded its investigation into that matter and Team McLaren-Mercedes will not be penalized. Formula 1's governing body held an "extraordinary meeting" of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris today and found that although McLaren did in fact have possession of confidential Ferrari material, there was 'insufficient evidence that it had been used in such a way as to interfere improperly with the FIA Formula 1 World Championship'. So no penalty was given to McLaren-Mercedes.

But the announcement came with a warning. If that information is used "to the detriment of the sport" in the future, the FIA might not be so lenient next time. The suggestion was made that if this were to occur, Ron Dennis and his team would face the 'possibility of exclusion' from the 2007 championship, which they are currently leading. They would also be eliminated from competing in 2008. Disqualification should be a pretty big deterrent, we imagine. Not getting off as easy are the two men at the heart of the issue.

McLaren's chief designer, Mike Coughlan, and Ferrari's former head of performance development, Nigel Stepney, have been 'invited' by the FIA to 'show reasons why they should not be banned from international motor sport for a lengthy period'. Ouch. Should be interesting to hear their responses. We'll keep you posted.

[Source: Crash.net]

Looks like Bahrain is getting into F1 in a big way. Through the nation's wholly owned Mumtalakat Holding Company, the Kingdom of Bahrain is about to buy a 30% stake in McLaren. Apparently McLaren boss Ron Dennis and Saudi investor Mansour Ojjeh are each selling half their share of the Formula One team. DaimlerChrysler will still have 40% and Dennis and TAG will each still have 15%. No changes are expected in the management team.

This is kind of a big deal after rumors had circulated that Mercedes was in talks to buy the other 60% of McLaren. Some see this as another step for Ron Dennis towards retirement, but he insists that his love of F1 has never been stronger. Chief executive Martin Whitmarsh has already started to assume more control over the past few years, but Dennis probably wants to stick around to see the team reclaim the top spot in the manufacturers' championship. And with two-time defending champion Fernando Alonso in the driver's seat next year, he could get his wish.

[Source: Reuters via Drive.com.au]