Ron Dennis Backs McLaren Management Amid 2015 Struggles
Ron Dennis has publicly defended McLaren's management structure, insisting the team is well run despite poor results during the 2015 Formula One season.
Ron Dennis has dismissed criticism of McLaren's management following a difficult 2015 Formula One campaign, insisting the team remains well run under Eric Boullier and Jonathan Neale. The McLaren chief executive responded after Eddie Jordan suggested the team's leadership contributed to its on-track problems with Honda power, a claim Dennis strongly rejected.
Dennis told Autosprint magazine that while he attends grands prix, his role as chief executive covers the wider McLaren Group, not just Formula One. He described himself as an observer who participates in meetings but avoids interfering in day-to-day operations, aiming instead to keep the team unified. "My opinion is respected, I have a lot of experience to bear, but I don't like to interfere. My role is to keep the team together and prevent it from breaking into factions," Dennis said.
He argued that, from a management perspective, this period is one of McLaren's best, even if the results do not reflect it. Dennis pointed to the drivers' positive attitude as evidence of strong internal morale. He maintained confidence that McLaren would recover quickly, stating the public would soon see the benefits of the current management approach.
McLaren's 2015 season and leadership structure
The 2015 season saw McLaren struggle near the back of the grid, with persistent reliability and performance issues from its new Honda power units. Despite the poor results, Dennis emphasised that Boullier and Neale were directly responsible for the F1 team and had his full support. He described the Formula One operation as the public face of the group, but stressed that the wider business remained stable.
