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Ron Dennis vacates McLaren F1's CEO position after 35 years

McLaren's Ron Dennis, one of the biggest names in F1 history, is stepping down from his CEO position after 35 years. Dennis was told on Tuesday he must give up his position as McLaren's chairman and chief executive, reports the BBC. Dennis, who holds a 25-percent stake in McLaren, attempted to contest the shareholders' decision to put him on so-called "gardening leave" redundancy. Reports say McLaren's other owners, TAG Group CEO Mansour Ojjeh and the Bahrain-based investment fund Mumtalakat, ousted him due to being at odds with Dennis' management style. Ojjeh holds another 25-percent stake in McLaren, and Mumtalakat holds the remaining 50 percent. According to Dennis, the rest of the management team warned Ojjeh about the possible consequences of removing him from McLaren. As Dennis says, "My management style is the same as it has always been and is one that has enabled McLaren to become an automotive and technology group that has won 20 Formula 1 World Championships and grown into an GBP850m-a-year business." Due to differences in vision regarding McLaren's future, there was no other option for Dennis than to leave the company. Dennis will still retain his 25-percent stake in the company and remain on the boards of both McLaren Technology Group and McLaren Automotive. Dennis states he plans to launch a new technology investment fund as soon as his contractual commitments expire; he also pledges to "use his McLaren board seat to protect the interest of the business and its 3,500 employees." McLaren has failed to win a F1 title after Lewis Hamilton's drivers' championship eight years ago and the latest constructors' title was won in 1998, 18 years ago.Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: BBC SportImage Credit: Mark Thompson via Getty Images Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Motorsports McLaren

Lego built a full-size McLaren Senna, and it's glorious

Lego is not slowing down with its forays into the automotive scene. Today we bring you news of a full-size McLaren Senna model, built as a collaboration between Lego and McLaren. This brick supercar is built using 467,854 individual pieces, which if anybody is counting, is about 200,000 pieces more than Lego used to create the life-size 720S from awhile back. It's still not as complex as the over 1 million-brick Bugatti Chiron project, though. Construction took 2,725 hours from start to finish, while the design and development took just over 2,000 hours. The car itself is built to an exact 1:1 specification in size, and includes a ton of bits from the actual Senna. Borrowed parts include a seat, steering wheel, pedals and infotainment system. Those in the driver's seat are able to operate the lights and play around with the big center infotainment screen. When you push the "start button," an engine simulation plays over the speakers to try and convince you that the twin-turbo V8 is actually behind you. Real McLaren badges right off its cars are fitted anywhere you'd normally see one. Then the wheels and Pirelli tires from the Senna are mounted to the chassis. Getting in and out through the Lego dihedral doors is apparently a bit difficult, but they're removable to allow easy access to the seats. In total, the Lego Senna weighs a hefty 3,348 pounds, which McLaren says is 1,102 pounds more than the real Senna weighs. Keep in mind that this one doesn't even have an engine. It also took nine times longer to produce than a road-going McLaren Senna takes (which is 300 hours if you were wondering). The details and structures to make this thing stick together are impressive, especially that huge wing hanging out the back. McLaren fitted some properly insane aero to the production Senna, and replicating the shapes and angles with Legos couldn't have been easy. Sadly, this one doesn't appear to have any real ability to drive at low speeds like the Chiron does with its electric motor. McLaren plans to show it off at car shows and events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed this summer.

America gets its first McLaren P1 GTR

McLaren won't be making a lot of P1 GTRs. Only 35, to be precise. And most of them will likely remain under the company's care, to be transported to specially organized track days. That means you're not likely to see many of them here in the United States, but one fortunate customer recently took delivery of one such track-bound supercar in Northern California. Decked out in a shade of British Racing Green so deep it looks almost black, with trim in McLaren's signature shade of orange, this particular McLaren P1 GTR was captured while being offloaded from a truck in San Jose a little over a week ago. Given the location, we'd imagine the vehicle belongs to some Silicon Valley billionaire – which only makes sense, considering that it costs a good $3 million or so. But the location also means local fans should soon see it lapping around Sonoma Raceway and Laguna Seca in due course. The GTR is the track-focused counterpart to the road-going P1. It packs the same 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 hybrid powertrain as the P1, but tuned to deliver nearly 1,000 horsepower, unburdened of excess weight, and fitted with equipment designed specifically for the racing circuit. Like the LaFerrari-based FXX K and the Aston Martin Vulcan, it's designed neither for the road nor for any racing series, but just as a plaything that the uber-wealthy can toy around with on track days. With production of the P1 now complete, the craftsmen at the McLaren Production Centre in Woking are building the last few GTRs before the Ultimate Series of which this car is part closes its books. Related Video: