MERCEDES: DENNIS NOT FIRED

Mercedes has told PistonHeads that rumours McLaren CEO Ron Dennis has been fired are ‘rubbish’.

Reports from the Spanish press have suggested that the McLaren team principal has forcibly relinquished his role ahead of the 2008 season.

It has been suggested that Dennis will be replaced by deputy Martin Whitmarsh.

The newspaper Marca apparently said that McLaren will be releasing a press release shortly confirming the change of situation.

However when PH rang Mercedes this morning a spokesman told us: ‘It’s rubbish, but I think the official line is the status quo remains the same.’

McLaren echoed this, with a spokeswoman adding: ‘We have no comment on speculation as we would then be doing it all the time, but the status quo remains the status quo.’