McLAREN Mercedes boss Ron Dennis, whose driver Lewis Hamilton is one of the favourites to win this year's Formula One world championship, is likely to step aside, according to newspaper reports ... but sources say he is set to keep an important engagement in Bahrain.
Dennis is scheduled to give a keynote address at the inaugural Motor Sport Business Forum Middle East to be staged at the Bahrain International Circuit on April 1-2.
His attendance and any comments he makes will ensure the event gets maximum coverage around the world and organisers are said to be "confident" he will keep the date no matter what happens.
Sources close to Dennis made it clear that the man who has built McLaren into one of the most powerful teams in the history of the sport is determined to achieve a better balance between his family life, other McLaren businesses and the Grand Prix team, the Sunday Times reported.
A McLaren spokesman told GulfWeekly: "As of today the situation is as follows: Ron Dennis is Team Principal of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, Chief Executive Officer of the McLaren Group, and chairman of the McLaren Group.
"He is 60 years old, but is as fit and as focused as ever. It will be his decision when, or if, he decides to step aside from any, or all, of those positions. He is considering his options."
Dennis, who recently announced that he had split with his wife of 22 years, Lisa, is understood to feel that the time demands of heading up the F1 team have become disproportionate and is increasingly inclined towards a change of priorities.
Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding, a company wholly-owned by the Kingdom of Bahrain, holds a 30 per cent stake in McLaren.
Dealing with the spying controversy over leaked Ferrari data stopped Dennis from fulfilling his original intention of stepping down at the end of last season. However, The Sunday Times says he believes that doing so now would not adversely affect the business, including Hamilton's chances of winning the championship.
The sport's governing body, the FIA, fined McLaren a record £50million and disqualified the team from the constructors' championship, which it looked set to win.
Last week the Surrey Police accompanied Italian investigators to the homes of a number of McLaren executives as part of their ongoing investigation. A similar move took place at the McLaren Technology Centre.
