Will Ron Dennis now take charge to ensure McLaren's season finishes in glory? (page 2 of 2)

Earlier in qualifying it seems that Hamilton disobeyed team orders in not allowing Alonso past on the circuit. These two related incidents show that McLaren's declared position that "we win as a team, we lose as a team" is, at the moment, under serious threat.

The two drivers seem to be on a collision course as each seeks to be the 2007 F1 Driver's champion and there is a real risk that in pursuing this battle they may cancel each other out, leaving the field clear for Ferrari.

Time for Dennis to take charge

Dennis has seen it all before - indeed there's not much that he hasn't seen in nearly 30 years in Formula One. And he knows that when rivalries between drivers and teams lead to irrational and ego-driven behaviour, a cool and steady hand is needed.

If McLaren is to beat Ferrari this year, on and off the track, then it will require all of Dennis' cool and all of his famous leadership skills. And it will also require that he finds a way to create a modus Vivendi between Alonso and Hamilton that keeps them both motivated.

I am sure that Alain Prost, 'Le Professeur', will have a wry smile on his face as he views McLaren's current driver feud and remembers his own long struggle with his great rival Ayrton Senna. They shared four World Championships between them in an earlier McLaren "best of times".

Can Dennis find a way to achieve similar success with Alonso and Hamilton? Don't bet against it.