(from autosport) Mercedes has refused to comment on a report that it is poised to take a majority share in McLaren. A report in German magazine Auto Motor und Sport suggested that Daimler AG intends to boost its 40 percent stake in McLaren to a majority and has already agreed the main points of a deal. The publication cited sources close to McLaren as saying talks with Daimler's Mercedes arm had been going on since October and a deal should be announced before the season starts in mid-March. A spokesman for Mercedes motorsport would not confirm the report. "The status quo has not changed at all. Daimler still holds 40 percent of the McLaren Group. We ask for your understanding that we will not comment on speculation beyond this," he said. There has been regular speculation in recent years about Mercedes, who paid an estimated $400 million for their stake in 1999, taking control of McLaren. Last January, Dennis and Saudi business partner Mansour Ojjeh announced they were selling half their stakes in the team to Bahrain's Mumtalakat Holding Company. That left Mercedes with 40 percent, Mumtalakat with 30 and Dennis and Ojjeh with 15 percent each.
There have been talks in the past of MB acquiring majority shareholder status and with MB now controlling the team this most likely ends Ron Dennis presence in F1. It looks like the German giant could no longer accept the infamous accusation and be pointed out to the whole world as "a cheater". Definetely MB did not appreciate Ron's management of the spy story and everybody was wondering what would happen. There have also been rumors that without the direct and diplomatic intervention of MB the FIA would have precluded MCL from racing in 2008. Now we know why the new MCL was presented in the historical MB museum in Stuttgart, Germany.
Mercedes play down McLaren rumours Wednesday 16th January 2008 Mercedes have confirmed that their relationship with McLaren has not changed despite talk of a possible buy-out Sources close to the Woking team told German magazine Auto Motor und Sport that Mercedes had hoped to increase its stake in the legendary F1 team before the new season gets underway. However, a spokesperson from Merc refused to comment on a possible buy-out, but confirmed that nothing had changed for now. "The status quo has not changed at all. Daimler still holds 40 percent of the McLaren Group," he is quoted as saying on Autosport. "We ask for your understanding that we will not comment on speculation beyond this."
Boy is there no end to the Ron hating and McLaren hating on this forum? It's been rumored for a long time that Mercedes would take over the team. They have made no bones about the fact that they want their own team, just like BMW. BMW said they wanted their own team all along too - even when they were partners with Williams. I doubt it has a ton to do with 2007 and I am very sure it's not about being "no longer accepting the infamous accusation and pointed out to the whole world as a cheater" - that's just ridiculous.
When MCL got penalized, MB got penalized; when MCL was threatened with exclusion in 2008, MB was threatened. In a way spygate simplied things for MB.
I sincerely doubt you will see Ron Dennis going anywhere for the next year. Actually, I would still consider him the best person for the job as he will be on his best behavior and now he has something to prove. He may retire on his own in 2009. I have to believe he has a contract, and in that contract he has a major buyout that even MB may not want to tackle.
The '08 launch at the Merc factory would certainly support that they're taking over. Merc had a great year so it makes sense to take more control of the F1 team and pull it from the RD clowns.
I may not be a Ron Dennis fan, but I think it will be a sad day in F1 to see him leave McLaren-Mercedes. He didn't get asked to take over McLaren because his Project 4 company was a joke, and year in year out, with him in charge, McLaren has always been a title threat, with a few exceptional years here and there. Drivers do not want to become a McLaren driver, and there has been some great drivers inside a McLaren cockpit, because Mr. Dennis is a lovely man, but because Mr. Dennis knows what he is doing with his company and knows how to win with his team. He and Sir Frank Williams are the remaining icons of F1, and IMO, they should be allowed to leave the sport on their own terms, not by someone forcing them out. Besides, isn't it a lot more fun to see Ferrari beat McLaren with Ron Dennis in charge as oppose to someone else ?
I don't think it does, necessarily, support that conclusion. It might simply reflect the fact that MB are the major shareholder and as such are entitled to have the launch on their patch.
why ?? there is no mention of Brabham which has a much better claim on history than Bruce McLaren ever did
Baffling, sometimes, isn't it? Where would F1 be without competition and McLaren has been one of the few teams to be consistently competitive in the sport. I guess some here would like to see Ferrari racing a bunch of F3 teams. Someone once made the analogy that it is the same as wanting to see yoru favorite NFL team playing only high schools. Where is the satisfaction in that? If it weren't for competition like McLaren and team principals like Ron Dennis, the Ferrari legacy would not be nearly as lustrous as it is today. Beating Spyker and STR is not the same as beating McLaren on the track. Some fail to grasp that concept around here.
Much as I like McLaren, don't say that; F1 survived the loss of Lotus. Whoops, someone beat me to it.
and when McLaren broke the rules, MB broke the rules. They did the deed together, they got punished together. It was not Ron covertly pushing buttons behind MB's back. They are all in it together. MB has been talking about being a team owner for years. I think its been quite well understood for a while that they would like a larger stake in McLaren/Mercedes, and IIRC Ron only owns 15% (might even be 15% with Mansour - I dont recall exactly).
I think its easy to break it down.. Some people would be genuinely happy to see Ron Dennis financially ruined and sitting in jail. Thats a huge amount of hatred to have for someone they've never met and who has never committed violence upon someone and has only run his business the best way he knows how. So I ask why would someone hate McLaren so much and hate Ron so much? The only answer can be jealousy and insecurity. I guess if my ego was tied up in my car, and a completely different car (but the same marque) was competing against another marque, then someone with a major ego complex may get offended and wish every possible bad thing to happen to said other marque. So, I think it's rooted in insecurity and fragile egos. Meanwhile Ron Dennis has hundreds of millions of $$$'s, he owns one of the most successful cream-of-the-crop racing teams in the world, hob-knobs around with superstars and sips champagne with royalty in Monaco and such. I doubt he's sweating what some Mondial owners on F-Chat thinks of him!
