Formula 1's Latest Rumours, Talk: McLaren-Honda's Ron Dennis, Ross Brawn, More
"We will win again," Ron Dennis promised upon his return to power at McLaren almost three years ago, per the Guardian's Paul Weaver.
After a dreadful 2013 season, when the team created in his image paid the price for being too clever for their own good, Dennis' comeback seemed to be exactly what McLaren needed to finally climb back up to the summit of Formula One.
But since the Second Coming of Ron in January 2014, McLaren have felt further away than ever from recapturing their former glories.
And Dennis, the power-hungry control freak synonymous with the greatest days in team's history, is set to pay the price.
If—as has been reported—the 69-year-old is to be forced out of McLaren at the end of 2016, Dennis may want to take a leaf out of Ross Brawn's book.
Brawn departed Mercedes in strange circumstances almost three years ago, and as the Silver Arrows continue to celebrate their third consecutive constructors' championship, F1's favourite fishing enthusiast has shared his side of the story, revealing why he couldn't work alongside Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda.
One suspects you won't find such tensions between senior management at Haas, who have impressed in their debut season in 2016.
And ahead of their first appearance on home soil at this weekend's United States GP, team owner Gene Haas has expressed his satisfaction with the Ferrari B-team's campaign.
Elsewhere, Jolyon Palmer has offered an insight into the pressures of a driver fighting for their F1 future, while Williams have pleaded with Valtteri Bottas to ignore an approach from Renault for 2017.
Here's our latest roundup.
McLaren Stalwart Ron Dennis to Leave Role as Chairman and CEO at End of 2016?
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Dennis is set to vacate his position as chairman and chief executive officer of the McLaren Group at the end of this year, it has been reported.
After stepping down as team principal at the beginning of 2009, Dennis—synonymous with McLaren's dominance of F1 in the late 1980s and 1990s—returned to the front line in January 2014, but his comeback has been marred by a lack of success on track and a power struggle in the boardroom.
As reported by Autosport (h/t Eurosport), Dennis owned 25 per cent of the McLaren Group at the time of his return and intended to "acquire a full controlling shareholding by buying out the 50 per cent owned by Bahraini sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat and the 25 per cent owned by his long-time business partner Mansour Ojjeh."
However, the deadlines "by which Dennis was required to raise the capital in order to complete the buyout have not been met," and it has emerged the 69-year-old's contract will not be renewed at the end of 2016.
On the subject of Dennis' future, a McLaren spokesman told the same source:
"In response to your question, Ron Dennis responded by stating categorically that he is not stepping down.
Moreover, he remains contracted as chairman and chief executive officer of McLaren Technology Group, and he retains a 25 per cent shareholding in the Group—exactly equal to that of Mansour Ojjeh.
Over many years, many decades in fact, McLaren shareholders have often entered into dialogue on the subject of potential equity movements and realignments, and Ron and Mansour have always been central to those discussions.
That is still the case. Their recent conversations can therefore be categorised as 'more of the same.'
However, it would be inappropriate to reveal further details of such discussions, which are of course private and confidential.
"
McLaren have endured one of the most troubled periods in their history since Dennis returned to power.
An underwhelming first campaign under the V6 turbo regulations in 2014 ended in a clash with Ojjeh, who blocked Dennis' attempts to replace 2009 world champion Jenson Button with two-time title winner Fernando Alonso, per BBC Sport's Andrew Benson.
That was followed by the team's worst season since 1980—the year Dennis arrived at McLaren—in 2015, when struggles with the new Honda power unit saw them finish second-bottom in the constructors' standings, with several long-serving sponsors, including Hugo Boss and TAG Heuer, leaving for rival teams.
McLaren have improved considerably in 2016 and currently sit sixth in the championship having scored more than double the amount of points they did in '15, although Dennis recently told Sky Sports how the team are still "just not good enough."
Per Benson, Dennis had outlined his optimism that McLaren—without a podium since 2014, a grand prix victory since 2012, a drivers' title since 2008 and a constructors' championship since 1998—can return to winning ways under the new regulations in 2017.
Ross Brawn 'Couldn't Trust' Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda at Mercedes
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Brawn has revealed he quit Mercedes at the end of 2013 as he "couldn't trust" Wolff or Lauda.
After guiding Button to the world championship with Brawn GP in 2009, the former Ferrari engineer sold the team to Mercedes but remained onboard as team principal.
Having achieved only limited success with the team, Brawn's authority appeared to be undermined in late 2012 and early 2013, when Mercedes appointed three-time world champion Lauda, Williams executive director Wolff and McLaren technical director Paddy Lowe in quick succession.
Brawn remained in place for 2013, leading the Silver Arrows to second place in the constructors' championship before leaving his role at the close of that season, telling Sky Sports F1 how Mercedes needed "a very clear definition of who is in charge."
With Wolff, Lauda and Lowe at the helm, Mercedes have enjoyed one of the most dominant periods in the history of grand prix racing, winning 47 races and three consecutive constructors' world championships with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg since the beginning of 2014.
And Brawn, widely regarded as the figure who established the foundations for that success, has revealed his suspicions about Wolff and Lauda left him with no option but to walk away at the end of 2013.
In his new book, Total Competition, co-written with former Williams chief executive officer Adam Parr, he said, per Motorsport.com's Adam Cooper: "What happened at Mercedes is that people were imposed on me who I couldn't trust. I never really knew what they were trying to do. I mean Niki would tell me one thing, then I would hear he was saying something else."
In the book, Brawn recalled an example of his lack of trust in Wolff, suggesting the Austrian criticised him in a conversation recorded by Colin Kolles, the former team boss.
He added:
"So I was beginning to deal with people who I didn't feel I could ultimately trust; people within the team, who had let me down already in terms of their approach.
Then in early 2013, I discovered Paddy Lowe had been contracted to join the team and it had been signed off in Stuttgart. When I challenged Toto and Niki, they blamed each other. I met them to have it out with them. And they both pointed to each other.
I couldn't trust these people, so I saw no future unless I was willing to go to war and remove them. I saw no future with people that I didn't feel I could trust.
[...]
I think one complication in all of that was Toto and Niki became shareholders, which was an interesting decision by Mercedes. I never really understood it.
Their view was that they wanted management who were committed and I think they also took a view that by being shareholders they would gain greater respect from the team.
That they partly own the team, so by coming in and being a shareholder they were putting their money where their mouth was. That's what they hoped.
"
Per the same source, Brawn admitted he "just didn't feel passionately enough about the whole project to want to go through [the] grief" of taking on Wolff and Lauda.
In June, Brawn told Sky Sports F1 he would never rule out a return to F1 at some stage, but the 61-year-old confessed he would be reluctant to hold a full-time role.
As reported by Motorsport.com's Franco Nugnes, Ferrari approached Brawn regarding a return to the team in July, making an offer that "could fit around his personal circumstances" and meant he would not have to attend grands prix.
However, Brawn declined, making it clear he had no intention of returning to the sport.
Haas Reflect on 'Super Successful' Debut Season in F1 Ahead of United States GP
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Gene Haas has declared himself happy with his eponymous team's maiden season in F1 as they prepare for their first appearance on home soil at the United States GP.
The American outfit made a strong start to life in the pinnacle of motorsport at the beginning of 2016, with Romain Grosjean scoring two top-six finishes in Australia and Bahrain.
Haas have struggled as the season has progressed, claiming just two points finishes in the last 15 races, but they sit a comfortable eighth in the constructors' championship—20 points ahead of Renault and 19 points behind Toro Rosso, the Red Bull B-team.
Ahead of his team's first-ever home race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, Haas believes the newcomers have exceeded all expectations in 2016.
According to ESPN F1's Bob Pockrass, he said:
"It's been super successful. We've said this a number of times, If we said [at the start] we would have 28 points by midyear, we all would have taken that one. Midyear has been a little tough on us because we haven't really scored any more points. But I think we did better than expected at the beginning, we were less than happy with what happened in the midseason but we have four more races. We have the latest aero package. So we're optimistic.
"
Per the same source, Haas insisted the team will treat the United States GP like any other race but acknowledged "the worst thing" they could do is embarrass themselves in front of their home crowd.
With a close technical partnership with Ferrari and a chassis manufactured by Italian firm Dallara, Haas' unique approach to F1 has been regarded as central to their instant success in 2016.
Although he is convinced the team "would have stumbled very badly without Ferrari and Dallara's help" this season, Haas has suggested they may become more independent in the coming years, adding the team "will do more as [they] take on more" in terms of computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
Team principal Guenther Steiner added it is feasible Haas could become more self-reliant but insisted it may not make sense from a business perspective if the team spend twice as much without a guaranteed improvement in results on track.
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Jolyon Palmer Feeling 'Big Pressure' in Race for 2017 Renault Seat
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Palmer has admitted he is feeling the pressure to earn a new contract with Renault for 2017 following the team's signing of Nico Hulkenberg.
Hulkenberg's arrival has left just one seat available at Renault for next season, with Palmer and team-mate Kevin Magnussen—as well as Bottas and Mercedes protege Esteban Ocon—all thought to be in contention.
Having held a reserve role with Renault in the first half of 2016, Ocon had been regarded as the favourite to partner Hulkenberg, but Autosport (h/t Eurosport) has reported Force India are eager to sign the Frenchman as the German's replacement.
Should Ocon move to Force India and Bottas opt to remain with Williams, the fight to partner Hulkenberg may come down to a straight fight between Magnussen and Palmer, who recovered from a shaky start to his debut season to score his first F1 point in the recent Malaysian GP.
With his career on the line, Palmer has admitted the pressure to perform has made it difficult to impress at times, telling Autosport (h/t Eurosport):
"The biggest pressure is in qualifying because it's all down to one lap.
If you don't put the lap together you are out in Q1, which is what happened to me in Malaysia and Kev in Japan, so there's big pressure on us.
In the race I sort of thrive on it a little bit more because it's not down to one lap.
It's difficult with the pressure because we've got to show what we can do, to try and show the bosses.
You can't make any mistakes, but you can't be too safe either or you're too slow, so it's a compromise.
Without the pressure that your career's on the line, it's probably a little bit easier.
Without pressure everything is kind of second nature, whereas for us there's occasionally an element of tightening up.
It would be nice to be a little bit more relaxed. There's always pressure in F1, but to know your career is on the line, it feels like every second that passes.
"
Meanwhile, Magnussen has denied suggestions that he is working on a switch to IndyCar for 2017, insisting he is still committed to earning a future in F1 with Renault.
On his official Twitter account, he wrote:
"Seeing rumours around about me in IndyCar. I'm a big fan of IndyCar but those are really just rumours. Nothing to it.
I feel confident my future is in F1 and there should be no doubt I intend to stay with Renault for many years if I can.
Unfortunately there is nothing yet to announce regarding my future, but hopefully there will be soon. I too am getting impatient!
"
As reported by a print edition of F1 Racing magazine, Renault regard Magnussen as the faster of their two current drivers, but the Dane's "perceived lackadaisical attitude" could hurt him in a straight fight with Palmer, whose "commitment and work ethic" has impressed the team in 2016.
Williams Want to Give Valtteri Bottas His Maiden F1 Victory
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Williams have urged Bottas to commit his future to the team amid speculation that he could move to Renault for 2017.
After joining the team as a development driver in 2010, Bottas graduated to a race seat at the beginning of 2013 and established himself as a potential world champion the following year, with his six podium finishes guiding Williams to third place in the constructors' standings.
Although the team equalled that finish a year later, the results have dried up in recent times, with Bottas restricted to just three podium appearances over the last two seasons.
As reported by Autosport (h/t Eurosport), it recently emerged Bottas is holding discussions with Renault with a view to partnering Hulkenberg in 2017, with Williams stalling over activating a contractual option that would trigger "a significant pay rise" for the Finn.
Deputy team principal Claire Williams has pleaded with Bottas to stay put, revealing the team are determined to reward the 27-year-old's loyalty by helping him secure his first grand prix victory.
She told Autosport (h/t Eurosport):
"As I keep saying to him, I can't wait to give him a car that he can win a race in.
He started his career with us, he has given us a lot of his time, he's stuck by us and he's been loyal to the team in good times and bad.
So I want Williams to be the team that gives him his first race win—that is the objective at the moment.
He has been strong this year, but he always is.
You know that when he gets in that car, closes his visor, and goes out on track, he's always going to deliver.
He's so calm and smooth.
It's been a big year for Valtteri as well, he's done a good job, he's delivered a lot of points for the team, he's really dependable.
"
Williams added the big lesson Bottas learned in 2015—when he admitted to finding speculation linking him to Ferrari was "disturbing," per BBC Sport—has helped him cope with the Renault rumours, suggesting the Finn has being able to separate his on-track duties from his off-track responsibilities this year.
In August, driver manager Didier Coton told Autosport (h/t Eurosport) how Bottas—who has taken a more hands-on approach in his contract negotiations—has "a bit of an unfinished story" with Williams.
Meanwhile, F1 journalist James Allen has revealed Williams will confirm the signing of newly crowned European Formula Three champion Lance Stroll in early November.
Per Motorsport.com's Roberto Chinchero, Williams have been forced to delay the announcement until after Stroll's 18th birthday on October 29 in order to avoid upsetting title sponsor Martini, with Stroll currently under the legal drinking age in many countries around the world.
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