McLaren Automotive introduces the McLaren MP4-12C

Notes and media contacts

Notes:
• Ron Dennis has been a pioneering force within motorsport since he began his career 42 years ago. In 1966 he joined the Cooper Racing Car Company and progressed to join the Brabham Racing team where in 1968 he was appointed to the position of Chief Mechanic to Sir Jack Brabham. Three years later Ron launched his own company, Rondel Racing, which won races in the Formula 2 Championship. During the 1970s he ran a number of highly successful teams, mainly concentrating on Formula 2 but also competing with distinction in the Procar Championship. In 1980 Ron's most recent company, Project Four, merged with Team McLaren Ltd to form McLaren Racing. This was to be the catalyst for the great success and diversification that McLaren has enjoyed to date. Since 1980, McLaren has won seven Constructors' World Championships and ten Drivers' World Championships. In 1989 Ron co-founded McLaren Cars, which designed and manufactured the revolutionary F1 road car of 1994; now renamed McLaren Automotive, the company produces the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren sports car on behalf of Daimler. Ron's entrepreneurial skills have seen the McLaren Group grow and diversify. It currently encompasses McLaren Automotive, McLaren Electronic Systems, McLaren Applied Technologies, McLaren Marketing and Absolute Taste, all in addition to the flagship, McLaren Racing and its Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team. During the year 2000 Ron was honoured with a CBE for services to motorsport. In 2001 he was presented with a BRDC Gold Medal in recognition for his contribution to motorsport. He was also awarded an Hon DTech from De Montfort University in 1996, an Hon DSc from City University (London) in 1997 and, in 2000, an Hon DSc from the University of Surrey. In January 2009 Ron announced that he would pass the role of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Team Principal to Martin Whitmarsh.
• Antony Sheriff graduated from Swarthmore College in the U.S. with a B.S. in Engineering and a B.A. in Economics. After working one year for Chrysler in product planning, Antony completed a M.S. in Management from M.I.T in 1988 while working for the International Motor Vehicle Programme at M.I.T.. Upon graduation, Antony joined McKinsey and Company as a strategic management consultant, working with a number of automotive and non-automotive clients in the U.S. and Europe. In 1995, Antony joined Fiat Auto in Italy and in 1997 was promoted to Executive Director of Product Development for all Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Lancia cars and commercial vehicles. In 2002, Antony was promoted to Vice President Marketing for Fiat. Antony joined McLaren Automotive in 2003 as Managing Director. Antony's responsibilities encompass the design, development and manufacture and distribution of current and future road cars.
• Ian Gorsuch lived in Brazil, Australia, Korea, and Hong Kong while working with the Vestey group, having previously served as an Army officer. In 1992 he joined the Remy Cointreau Group and was responsible for running a sales team as well as the UK stewardship of the famous Champagne house of Krug. Ian joined Bentley in 1998, working initially at the factory in Crewe and then becoming Regional Director, Middle East, Africa & India, based in Dubai. Also in Dubai he was a Vice-president with IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) in 2008. Gorsuch joined McLaren as Head of Middle East and Africa in April 2009.
• The McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) was designed by Foster+Partners and officially opened on May 12, 2004 by Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. Production of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren had begun in August 2003. MTC now houses McLaren Automotive and five businesses that form the McLaren Group, all under one roof: McLaren Racing, McLaren Electronics, McLaren Marketing, McLaren Applied Technologies and Absolut Taste.
• The shareholding of the McLaren Group is: Daimler (Mercedes-Benz) 40%; Bahraini Mumtalakat Holding Company 30%; Tag Group (Mansour Ojjeh) 15%; Ron Dennis 15%
• The McLaren F1: McLaren built 107 F1s between 1993 and 1998; 79 road cars, including five LM models (three in McLaren Papaya Orange) and two F1 GTs, and 28 cars homologated for racing.
• Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren: McLaren Automotive has built over 2100 SLRs and is currently building a limited edition run of 75 Stirling Moss derivatives which have all been ordered by existing SLR owners. This makes the SLR by far and away the most successful super sports car by sales.
• McLaren's Formula 1 racing team has won 163 Grands Prix, 12 Formula 1 Drivers' Championships, eight Formula 1 Constructors' Championships, and been on the podium on average once in every three Grands Prix. McLaren's racing teams have also won five Can-Am titles, three Indy 500 victories and the Le Mans 24 hour race (on debut). Taking into account all racing successes, this makes McLaren the most successful racing car team in history.

Contact:
Mark Harrison
(McLaren Automotive)
Head of PR McLaren Automotive
Phone: +44 (0) 1483 262712

or

Randa Kamal
(Performance PR Middle East)
Account Manager
Phone : +971 (0) 4 4347365