The Daily Mail ran a story in which it says a well-placed paddock “insider” has suggested that there is some question as to what Dennis said or did not say in the approximate hour between the race and the Steward meeting in Australia. It is also suggested that Dennis was very much against the Hamilton press conference in which Lewis admitted guilt.
Bernie Ecclestone recently came to the defense of Ron Dennis suggesting that he was a stand up guy and was not at the race so he could not be implicated. While there is little doubt that the team has been caught in what appears to be a lie that implicates Jarno Trulli and was sadly derived for a single point could also be the death nell for the Hamilton-McLaren relationship. Anthony Hamilton has been in overdrive calling FIA President Max Mosley and demanding his son’s name be cleared of any wrongdoing but as it is; Lewis played along for the five days between Australia and Malaysia. Eddie Jordan, former team owner-turned BBC broadcaster, suggests that the relationship is on a razors edge.
So did Ron actually make the call? My hunch? Ron has stepped down as Team Manager and this would be a good ruse de guerre in making Ron the fall guy as he is not involved in the daily operation of the F1 team any longer. ron could take the heat and it would not really impact martin or Lewis. The only whole in my theory is the release of Dave Ryan. It is also a way for Ron to protect fledgling team manager Martin Whitmarsh from committing career suicide on the first shot out of the box. The plot thickens.
