King's 'overdue' honour to legendary Senna boss

Ron Dennis, the legendary McLaren boss who turned the team from backmarkers into a world championship-winning team has been knighted

Dennis, who was at the helm of McLaren, including for Ayrton Senna's three F1 world title years in 1988, 1990 and 1991, was given the award as part of King Charles' New Year Honours list.

Having already received a CBE in 2000, the 76-year-old was given his Knighthood for services to the motorsport industry, as well as his charity work.

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Since leaving F1 in 2017, Dennis has been a patron for the Tommy's Campaign – a UK pregnancy charity that funds research into stillbirth, miscarriage and death during childbirth.

Dennis' reign at McLaren began in the 1981 season, a year after they finished ninth in the constructors championship. 

Just four years later, they were a title-winning squad when Niki Lauda won his fourth and final World Championship in 1984.

Dennis was at the helm of the Woking squad throughout its dominant era led by Senna in the late-80s and early 90s.

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After leading the team to another dominant constructors title, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was also honoured, made a Commander of the British Empire for his services to motor racing. 

"It was an unexpected distinction a decade ago to be presented with an OBE and to receive this second award, a CBE, is one for which I am hugely grateful and deeply honoured," he said.

"It is a great privilege to lead and work alongside such a phenomenal team as Oracle Red Bull Racing and also to work in an industry that contributes so much to the UK economy.

"I am enormously proud of what we have achieved with Red Bull in Formula 1 and in the wider high technology arena, and I am hugely honoured to be recognised for that effort."

The F1 season gets underway in Bahrain on March 2.