Question: Can you give us a summary of your season and for the two championship contenders, an emphasis on this weekend.
Ron Dennis: We have had a reasonably competitive season. Obviously there have been some ups and downs but generally our results speak for themselves. We are still in contention for both championships. Obviously a stronger position with the Drivers’ championship and we are being, right now, very focused, very disciplined, not taking any risks and just concentrating on what we have to do to win the Drivers’ world championship. We have made no secret of the fact that as a consequence of doing that, if we are less focused on the Constructors’, that’s the way it will be but generally we are very happy. It is a very highly motivated team this year and we have every reason to believe that we will be very competitive again next year as well.
Question: The FIA is calling for engines to be available for five million Euros per year. Is that economically feasible for your organisations?
Ron Dennis: First of all I think the figure came from the teams, not the FIA. This was a figure that we have targeted as being part of our objective. It is part of the proposal and in due course these things, and the other issues we have touched on, will become public knowledge. What we can say at the moment is that the figure is definitely one that came out of the teams’ objectives.
Question: After all the dramas of last year, how pleasant has this season been compared to the last one? Is it a relief for you personally to have a successful season with no controversies and a good atmosphere in the team?
Ron Dennis: I think there’s been some controversies this year but I just feel that as a team we’ve risen above them. We took a decision to be very calm about each and every race, go there very focused and do the very best we can and so, of course, we really strongly wish to win the championship and that’s where our focus is at the moment. As I’m sure we aren’t the exception I’ve felt for Stefano here a couple of times this year when things haven’t gone as smoothly for them. I know you would expect an initial tendency to smile but the fact is that Formula One is extremely difficult, extremely difficult to be competitive in Formula One and all you can do is strive to do the best you can and come away from a Grand Prix feeling that and then if there are issues that come along, you have to rise above them because taking a negative approach is just energy-wasting. You might as well just get on with having a positive approach to it and that’s what we do, that’s what we’ve done all season. I’m sure we look pretty straight-faced at the moment but we really are focused on not making any mistakes.
Question: You may or may not be aware that a rather venomous website has been drawn up in Spain targeting Lewis ahead of this race. There are a number of racist comments, running into the hundreds, not just a handful, on this website. Bearing in mind you all signed up to the anti-racism campaign earlier this year, could I just get your comments on this please.
Ron Dennis: Of course I am aware of the site’s existence. I haven’t looked at any of the material. To be honest, one of the few things that gives you some sort of an advantage of age – which is unfortunately what I have, age – is that you experience throughout your lifetime all sorts of pressure groups throughout the world who, through freedom of speech, are allowed to express their views. Again, you just have to rise above it. If it is, in any shape or form, designed to distract the team or Lewis, it certainly is not going to do so. Really it’s not for us to take action against these people; in some instances it’s government and in some instances it’s organisations that are designed specifically to address these issues in this world but it’s certainly not a Grand Prix team, it’s certainly not McLaren and we refuse to be drawn into something which is widespread through this world in different ways. As I said, it is not going to distract us from our objectives and it’s certainly not going to distract Lewis.
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