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Exclusive Ron Dennis Q&A: Martin Brundle presses for information on 2015 line-up

"No decision made," says McLaren boss who suggests four drivers in contention

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Despite Martin Brundle's best efforts, McLaren chief Ron Dennis refuses to discuss the team's driver line-up for the 2015 season.

Martin Brundle presses his former boss Ron Dennis for information on McLaren’s 2015 line-up.

Martin Brundle: Congratulations you’ve signed a great driver for 2015 in Fernando Alonso, how are you looking forward to working with him again?
Ron Dennis: “(Laughs) Which driver are you talking about? We haven’t announced our drivers yet.”

MB: Come on everyone knows he has signed for you. He is too relaxed.
RD: 
“You would assume that, Martin, wouldn’t you? But the fact is I wanted to come to this race and focus on the race. But more importantly I wanted to make sure that all the people that need to be supportive of any of the decision we have to make – that is not just myself, but also the board and the shareholders – are all aligned and we look at the whole driver thing as a package.

"Everyone feels – understandably – that we are not being too fair to Kevin and Jenson, but they are contracted to the end of the year and the only pressure we have is from the fans and the media and they are going to be the first ones that jump on us if we make the wrong decisions for the future.”

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MB: If we look back at your template and how you’ve been successful it has always been with the top most experienced drivers – Prost and Senna, Prost and Lauda, Hamilton and Button. So that suggests if you go back to how you have been so successful that it will be Alonso and Button.
RD: 
“That is your suggestion not mine. But you presume that let's say there are three people involved in this choice, but I think you should stretch your imagination to four.”

MB: So you might snatch someone else completely fresh to the team?
RD: 
“Why don’t you just listen to the words and when we have something to say we will say it. But it won’t be until December 1st.

MB: So it might be Stoffel Vandoorne then – your young driver?
RD: 
“Might is an interesting word. But we are here to do the best job we can in Abu Dhabi, I don’t like stressing anyone out and I certainly don’t like stressing our drivers out. But my job and it isn’t my job alone, is that we return to not just winning, but we are going to try and dominate. We are here to try and put together the best possible team to get us back to winning as fast as possible.”

MB: I sense that it is Magnussen you will choice over Button?
RD: 
“You can sense what you want, but you won’t get an indication from me. I can tell you that there isn’t a decision taken – that is absolutely a fact.”

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