By Jonathan Noble and Simon Strang Tuesday, March 11th 2008, 12:38 GMT
Ron DennisRon Dennis has ended weeks of speculation over his future by confirming that he will stay on as team principal of McLaren-Mercedes in 2008, autosport.com can exclusively reveal.
It is understood that Dennis, 60, addressed staff at McLaren's Technology Centre in Woking just prior to leaving for Melbourne, and promised them he would not be stepping down.
Dennis, who took over McLaren in 1980 and has since led the team to multiple world titles, the last of which came in 1999 with Mika Hakkinen, has endured a difficult 12 months.
McLaren were fined $US100 million and lost of their constructors' points over the spy scandal last year.
Dennis was also criticised for his handling of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton in 2007, after the double world champion split acrimoniously with the team after just one-year of a three-year deal.
Dennis currently holds three positions within the TAG McLaren Group: Chairman and CEO of the McLaren Group and McLaren team principal.
