Friday June 16th, 2000

McLaren's chief Ron Dennis is among the sports figures in Queen Elizabeth's Birthday Honours list published tomorrow.

Dennis will become a Commander of the British Empire (CBE), adding the honour to the 16 world championships the team has won in his 20 years at the helm.

Dennis, 52, started as a mechanic before moving through the motor racing ranks as a team manager and propelling McLaren to a run of successes.

Niki Lauda, Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna all won titles for McLaren, backed by a team famed for a professionalism which sprung from Dennis himself.

"I know I drive everybody crazy but I believe the difference can be in the detail, leaving nothing to chance either in Formula One or in business," Dennis told The Times newspaper.

Other sporting figures to share the honour with Dennis include England rugby union centre Jeremy Guscott and jockey-turned-author Dick Francis.