By DPA
London : Ron Dennis will stay on as the McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team boss, British news reports said.
Dennis, 60, told team members before his departure to the Australian GP season-opener Sunday that he will not step down in the wake of a spying affair which cost the team all constructors points and a $100 million fine in 2007.
The reports Tuesday came amid speculation that Dennis, who has been in charge of the team since 1980, would hand the reins to team official Martin Whitmarsh and that Mercedes were set to take control at the team.