“I’m sure Red Bull have their concerns, however, they have other issues too.”
Dennis has taken Whitmarsh’s position as CEO of McLaren Group and ended the
position of team principal, hiring Eric Boullier as racing director.
The 66-year-old said he realised midway through last season he either had to
effectively retire from McLaren, or return to total control.
“There was only one of two options. It was either completely step out, or
completely step in.
“If the company was going in a direction that I felt was good for the company,
I possibly would have taken a different path. Not for any McLaren reasons,
but because I feel great. Maybe I get some horrible thing I don’t know of,
but right now I feel so energised.
“The critical date was the 16th January. I went home and I didn’t feel the way
I expected to, until 24 hours later, and then everything came back. The
passion, the enthusiasm, the focus. I felt like me.”
McLaren endured their worst since 1980 last year, an experience which Dennis
admitted was “painful”. He added: “We are McLaren, and there is nothing more
certain than we will win. How fast? How quickly? I can’t predict. But we
will win. We are a great Grand Prix team.
“The team has just lost its way. We’re just off form as a team, but we haven’t
stopped being a great team.”
Dennis, famed for ‘Ronspeak’ for his often complex turn of phrase, assured
reporters that he is a “different person” now, but that he will still be
keeping a watchful eye on the performance of the Formula One team.
“You talk about Ronspeak. What does it really mean? I’m a different person
now. It will possibly be the practical demonstration of how focussed and
committed I am.
“Eric has got to be given the responsibility of explaining the performance of
the Formula One team to the media. That’s not going to be my job.”
But Dennis did add: “I will attend quite a few Grand Prix. You’ve got to be
there to see what’s right.”