McLaren and Renault Threaten to Pull Out of Melbourne Race

Britain's Times newspaper reported that Renault team boss Flavio Briatore and McLaren Chairman Ron Dennis threatened to organise a boycott of Sunday's race unless Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone paid up.

Ecclestone in return has reportedly threatened to cancel the charter plane taking the cars to Melbourne. A statement posted on the official Formula 1 website (www.formula1.com) by his Formula 1 Administration accused FOTA of making "inaccurate and misleading" comments. "Neither CVC nor FOA owes any amount to any team," it said.

McLaren team Principal Martin Whitmarsh said that while he had not been at the meeting, he believed Ecclestone's version of events to have been "relatively theatrical".

"There is a lot of tension in this climate about lots of teams being owed lots of money," he said. "I think that is a business between the teams and Bernie that needs to be resolved urgently."

Rift Between McLaren, Mercedes?

Rumours of a rift between McLaren and Mercedes-Benz have emerged in the specialist motoring press.

The duo are closely aligned in the world of formula one, with Mercedes-Benz providing works engines and owning the largest slice of Ron Dennis’ company.

But Automotive News Europe reports that, despite their collaboration on the $600,000 SLR supercar, Mercedes is actually getting ready to pair with its German car partner for the DTM touring car series, HWA, for the SLR’s successor.

Other sources said Mercedes had been “disappointed by the performance” of the original SLR, which is built at McLaren’s F1 factory.

Ron Dennis lost no sleep over Monaco row

Ron Dennis almost certainly did not lose a wink of sleep over the three nights it took the FIA to conduct their investigation into Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix - just as he said he wouldn't.

Dennis and his McLaren team emerged with reputations intact after being cleared of issuing team orders which resulted in the one-two processional finish for Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton around the streets of Monte Carlo.

The 59-year-old insisted immediately after the race his conscience was clear, maintaining that his team "are scrupulously fair at all times".

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Did McLaren Favour Alonso Over Hamilton at the Monaco GP?

In the aftermath of a processional race in which the two McLaren drivers finished first and second with ease, but without fighting each other, Dennis said that McLaren did not favour the 25-year-old Spaniard against the 22-year-old British rookie.

He spoke out after being questioned strongly on the team's strategy and team orders, particularly as Alonso, on pole position, began the race in a car that carried five laps less fuel than Hamilton.

This meant that Alonso was not only in a lighter car for qualifying on Saturday, but also in a lighter, faster car for the first part of the race.

Hamilton accepted this after the race with a long face when he said: "I am in car number two so I am the number two driver."

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