Dennis: McLaren will only grow

McLaren boss Ron Dennis may have plenty of reasons to rest on his laurels after helping Lewis Hamilton clinch the world championship this year, but he has made it clear that his focus is very much on helping his team and company grow even further in the future.

Speaking at the 'Leaders in London' business leadership conference in Westminster on Wednesday evening, Dennis said that the determination that had helped him guide his team back to the top in Formula One was as strong as ever.

And he insisted that any action he takes in the future, even when it becomes time for him to step aside as F1 team principal to take on another role within McLaren, will only be done if he believes it will make the team stronger.

"I'm 61," said Dennis during the conference, which also features speeches from two-time New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, chess legend Garry Kasparov and Jack Welch, the former chairman and CEO of the General Electric Corporation.

"I can't imagine a time when I won't be involved in McLaren's leadership. I can't imagine a time when I won't have a hand on the compass. I can't imagine a time when I won't be showing the way.

"But finding the way? Reading the map? That's management. And, in all companies, management evolves. Management changes. Managers' careers evolve and change, and the result is further change.

"That's a positive thing, and it applies to McLaren just as it applies to all companies. And, through change, McLaren will grow. It'll grow because there will be change. And all change leads to opportunity."

Dennis revealed during the speech, which received two standing ovations and was praised by event chairman business guru Rene Carayol as 'truly inspirational', the key factors that he believed had helped McLaren become an F1 success story.

"If you decide to do something, you should aim to do it well and if you aim to do something well, you should realise that you can do it well," he explained. "You can combine attention to detail with big-picture thinking. You can make the impossible, possible.

"And your workforce must be incentivised to deliver in that way. To be honest, I even incentivise my kids to deliver in that way. I give handsome rewards when they secure good exam results, for example - and not simply because it's their birthday or Christmas Day.

"No, in order to keep them grounded, and ambitious, they've been incentivised to achieve from when they were very young. And my message to my kids, to my employees is this: The human spirit is unsuppressable. There's no such thing as 'ordinary people' because people are extraordinary.

"So there's simply no limit to what we can achieve."

Dynamo help hurricane relief efforts

Dennis hints at revised McLaren role

Moor wants to become Hoops’ anchor

Clos to test for Williams again

Formula 3 Euro Series racer Dani Clos will have his second test for Williams at Jerez on Monday.

The 20-year-old Spaniard, who had his first test for the team at the same circuit on September 16, will participate in a private test on December 8, the day before the three-day group test kicks off.

Clos, a podium finisher in F3 this year, will again be behind the wheel of the team's interim car, the Williams FW30B, which features experimental aero parts as well as the 2009-spec rear end and gearbox.

Kazuki Nakajima is due to take over for the first day of the test proper, with teammate Nico Rosberg driving on Wednesday and Thursday.

Clos, along with fellow F3 Euro Series racer Sam Bird, shook down the two cars Williams will take to Jerez at Kemble Airfield in the UK on Wednesday.

This also gave Williams the chance to evaluate their new motorised front flap development, designed to allow the driver to adjust the downforce while following a rival car up to twice a lap in order to aid overtaking.

Agoos, Williams lend Red Bulls perspective

Three teams kick off Jerez test

Williams helps push RSL to promised land

CONCACAF Qualifying roundup

Willis: KERS won't help overtaking

Red Bull Racing's technical director Geoff Willis says the introduction of KERS to Formula One next season won't make much of a difference to overtaking.

He doubts that the push to pass affect that will be created by the recovered energy will spice up the action on track, and instead believes that it will be the new aerodynamic regulations that increase overtaking.

"I think the teams will soon learn how to use and optimise the KERS, but it won't help overtaking so much," he told Italian magazine Autosprint. "It's a technology developed on road cars that will find a limited application in F1.

"The new aerodynamics regulations will be the biggest factor at changing racing by creating new overtaking opportunities.

"The reduction in size of the rear wing will allow the drivers to race more closely, because the loss of downforce won't be as radical while in the slipstream."

But Willis says that teams will deliberately develop their cars to make it more difficult for rivals to follow in their slipstream.

"Probably one aerodynamic development will be to disturb the air flow of the following car in order to make your own car less prone to be overtaken," he added.

Real won’t sit back with chance to advance

Heidfeld pleased with BMW’s early start

Berger not ruling out return to F1

Gerhard Berger says he is not ruling out a return to Formula One in the future following the sale of his stake in the Toro Rosso team.

The Austrian sold his 50 percent stake to Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz, who now owns all the shares again.

"I can't rule out a return," Berger told Autosprint magazine. "Let's put it this way: if one day the right conditions for a return are on the table, then I could consider the possibility of coming back. Otherwise I can easily go skiing.

"I might have lost something, but I still have enough to pay for my dinner tonight."

It was the third time that Berger left Formula One, first when he retired from driving and then when he left BMW, where he was a motorsport director until 2003.

"But this time it's different," Berger said. "For me, emotionally, it's been very difficult. All my guys were in that team. However, considering the circumstances, I'm convinced I made the right decision."

The former grand prix winner admitted he felt it was the right time to leave because he felt Toro Rosso would not be making any more progress from next year.

"Fact is, with these new regulations, it's not possible to go on with two teams anymore," Berger added.

"The only way to carry on with our project was the synergy. With that lacking, it was clear for me that I couldn't carry on with Red Bull. This year we had already used 100% of the budget at our disposal.

"Besides that, we had improved our performance and finished sixth in the constructors championship. At this point, for me, the next step was challenging Renault and Toyota.

"But to do that I needed more funds and Red Bull wasn't prepared for that anymore. At this point I understood the time to quit had come for me, even though on fully friendly terms."

Berger said a significant budget increase would have been necessary to continue performing as in 2008 next year, due to all the regulation changes to be introduced.

"With the new rules, just to keep on the same level, at least by 30-40%, maybe even 50. From the beginning it was clear that I was in charge of managing the team, with Mateschitz taking care of the financial situation, but the latter was getting difficult."

The Austrian also suggested that Mateschitz's buyout could indicate the billionaire is ready to sell the team.

"Let's keep in mind that having 100% of Toro Rosso can make the sale easier. If the rules don't change, I think that the only thing Red Bull can do is focus on just one team."

Toro Rosso took their first victory at the Italian Grand Prix this year and finished ahead of Red Bull Racing in the standings.

Mateschitz reconsiders selling Toro Rosso

Honda set to reveal F1 exit plans

Formula One is bracing itself for an announcement by the Honda Racing team on Friday morning that could pave the way for one of grand prix racing's biggest names to exit the sport.

Amid the worldwide financial downturn and the impact that has had on Honda's car sales, it is understood that the Brackley-based team's future is now in serious doubt.

Insiders have told autosport.com that the team's senior staff were called for a meeting at the factory on Thursday afternoon and informed that Honda in Japan were no longer willing to bankroll the outfit.

It is suggested that the team will be put up for sale - and if no buyer is found by March then the manufacturer will simply pull the plug and withdraw from the sport.

Amid the current financial climate, it is unclear where Honda Racing would hope to find a buyer willing to support a Formula One team - with budgets already in excess of £100 million per year.

There are suggestions, however, that Honda may be willing to offload the team free of charge to anyone willing to support it - and they could even continue to supply engines for a period of time until another technical partner is found.

However, sources have suggested that team principal Ross Brawn is already eyeing a tie-up with Ferrari for power-units should a buyer be found - with the Italian manufacturer having spare capacity now after ending their deal with Force India.

It is understood that Brawn and F1 CEO Nick Fry are scheduled to fly to meetings in Tokyo on Monday to discuss the future of the team with Japanese bosses - and especially define what happens if no buyer is found.

Honda Racing remained silent about the speculation on Thursday evening, with neither press officers nor senior team personnel available for comment. It is understood the staff informed of the decision were told not to discuss the matter prior to an official announcement being made.

It is expected Honda will issue a press release early on Friday morning revealing their plans. It comes after a challenging year for the team, which had begun a rebuilding process under the leadership of Brawn.

Any pullout by Honda Racing will send shockwaves through F1, and cast question marks over the future of other manufacturers' longterm participation. It would also come several months after FIA president Max Mosley warned that the sport was unsustainable at the moment because of the high costs needed to compete.

It would also mean the grid being reduced to just 18 cars, and would leave drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello without seats.

J.League delegation visits MLS clubs

Brawn confident Honda can still progress

Blanco says goodbye to international play

Brawn defends new-look 2009 cars

Honda plan full-scale attack on testing

Alonso sets sights on 2009 title

Fernando Alonso says his target for the 2009 season is to win his third world championship, although he admits that goal may have to change depending on Renault's form.

The Spanish driver finished in fifth place in the 2008 season after a very strong end to the campaign, which saw Renault recover from a poor start to the year.

Alonso, winner of two races in 2008, waited until after the season was over to confirm he would stay at the French squad, as he evaluated his options to have the best possible car in 2009.

The two-time champion says his goal for the upcoming year is very clear at the moment.

"The target for next year is to improve," Alonso told reporters during a UNICEF charity event sponsored by ING Direct. "The first part of last season was average. I can't afford to start the championship thinking that I'm not going to win.

"My target and the team's is the title. It's a very clear goal, although it may have to be altered as the year goes on. But here, today, in December, the goal is very clear.

"Next year I'm going to try to be champion. At the end of last season we recovered ground and I haven't left Renault. When things are done right, you feel at home. And Renault is a serious team when I feel comfortable."

The Spaniard reckons next season, when radical new rules will come into play, is likely to bring a few surprises, although he is expecting Ferrari and McLaren to stay on top.

"There will be a few surprises. Last season the surprise was BMW and Renault in some occasions. Next year there will a few surprises and I hope Renault is one of them," he added.

Alonso also confessed he would see no problems with having his car ready as late as possible if it helps him beat his rivals.

"This time the championship starts later than ever and the later you get the car ready the better. There will be cars that will be good in February, and by April everyone else will have copied them. So the later the car arrives, the better.

"In fact, the car we will unveil on January 20 will have nothing to do with the car that arrives in the first race."

Tactical surprises unlikely in MLS Cup

Gritty Moreno muscle behind Crew attack

Alonso unsure Renault can react

Pantano "abandoned" by F1 teams

Giorgio Pantano says he feels abandoned by Formula One with no teams looking at him despite him winning this season's GP2 championship.

The 29-year-old Italian, who raced for Jordan in 2004, beat Bruno Senna and Sebastien Buemi - who are both being considered for F1 race seats - to the GP2 title this year, but has no options himself - the first time since GP2's inception in 2005 that its champion has not found a drive in F1.

"I challenge anyone to have a CV as good as mine," Pantano told Autosprint. "I won two karting world titles, three European, three Italian, German F3, GP2 and was always at the front in F3000. But now I don't have a seat in F1, is this a joke?

"That's what it's like now, if you don't get in touch with people, no one looks for you. I feel abandoned.

"The only person behaving fairly has been Ecclestone. I called him a few days ago and after ten minutes he called me back. The only real drives still available are at Honda and Toro Rosso. Bernie told me that if anything moves, I'll be the first to know.

"But I feel total indifference towards me. I read of Senna and Buemi but, really, what have they done? At this point, a guy in my situation must think that being a racing driver is not advantageous, doing another job would be better."

Pantano believes that a driver's talent is no longer relevant if he cannot bring substantial financial backing to a team.

"Money is becoming the priority in order to race, talent doesn't exist any more," he said. "I think I could still do six or seven years in F1 at high levels.

"I would just like someone to let me test an F1 car. Once the test is done, they'd tell me whether I could be a possible world champion or not. That would give me peace of mind.

"I just want a credible test, a real chance that puts me in the conditions of being properly assessed."

Buemi set for Toro Rosso race seat

Senna not distracted by F1 rumours

Toro Rosso to test trio at Barcelona