McLaren’s Martin Whitmarsh will be a busy man in the future after the resignation of Richard Lapthorne will see the current McLaren Racing team principal take on two more roles with the McLaren Group.
Ron Dennis revealed that Whitmarsh will now be Chief Executive Officer of the McLaren Group and Deputy Chairman of McLaren Automotive – the new supercar spin-off from McLaren, which recently produced the MP4-12C.
“Following the spin-off of McLaren Automotive from McLaren Group, I’m delighted to announce this management restructure,” McLaren boss Dennis said.
“The two companies will have separate shareholdings, and will continue to be headquartered in Woking, Surrey [UK].
“McLaren Group will be based at the existing McLaren Technology Centre [MTC], while McLaren Automotive will be based at the brand-new McLaren Production Centre [MPC] which is now being constructed alongside the MTC.
“I have enormous confidence in the senior management teams of both McLaren Group and McLaren Automotive, and am pleased that both companies will be extremely well served by those senior management teams, now and going forward into the future.”
Dennis praised Lapthorne for his contribution to the company over the past year.
“Finally, I would like to pay tribute to Sir Richard Lapthorne for his work over the past year. His knowledge and experience have been very beneficial to the senior management teams of both McLaren Group and McLaren Automotive.
“For that reason, as Executive Chairman of McLaren Group and McLaren Automotive and also personally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sir Richard for his wise counsel and wish him well for the future, personally as well as professionally.”
