Ron Dennis hints failure to agree on sponsor commitments led to Lewis Hamilton's exit

McLaren Chairman Ron Dennis has implied that disagreements over team sponsor commitments were a central factor in their failure to agree a new contract with Lewis Hamilton.

Although Dennis did little to stop speculation that relations with XIX had however soured through the saga, wryly suggesting that "Simon only pops up when we win", he insisted that he hopes Hamilton continues to enjoy success in his career going forward and that he personally was "not upset". Dennis also expressed complete confidence that McLaren would continue to win races and world titles even without their current star asset. "I wish Lewis really, really well," the McLaren chief added. "He's been nurtured well through his career and I feel none of the emotions that attribute to me. I am completely relaxed, I am not upset. Of course you think of the good times shared. We're a racing team that exists to win and that requires, as I said, a whole range of sacrifices and as I said some other teams don't have that requirement. "But in the end we'll win races next year and into the future and, I hope, World Championships."