Ron Dennis still believes in McLaren’s chances

Even though he is no longer part of the operational side of McLaren F1, Ron Dennis remains a staunch supporter because he is eager to see the McLaren-Mercedes team have a competitive mid-season after a challenging start. With two cars in the top five at the Chinese Grand Prix and a fourth place for Lewis Hamilton in Bahrain, the pace of the silver arrows seems to have improved from race to race.

« Lewis [Hamilton] has always been a great driver and will always be a great driver, but the current needs focus on the equipment that allows winning races, » said Dennis, who is now turning his attention to the McLaren business as a whole.

All engineers, designers, manufacturing, and management personnel emphasize this.

With the team since 1980, Dennis now watches F1 with a different perspective: “I have watched from afar but the gaps are very close and fourth place requires a very good level of competitiveness. I am now involved in working on the McLaren program but through the automotive industry. However, I remain behind McLaren and we will be competitive before the end of the season. As soon as possible, I hope,” he explained to Setanta.

Due to not having a double diffuser before the race in China, the Woking team is now 37 points behind the championship leader, Brawn GP. Have the title chances for 2009 vanished for the team? « As long as it’s mathematically possible, everything is still to play for, but, of course, we are a bit behind, » admitted Dennis.

« But things are improving, and we are starting to enter a winning streak. I’m sure the McLaren staff are working hard to change things. »