Dennis has 'Little Respect' for Ferrari

McLaren chief Ron Dennis said in comments published on Sunday, prior to the race, that he had little respect for Formula One rivals Ferrari.

"I don't know what Ferrari think about McLaren but I have to say I don't have that much respect for Ferrari," Dennis told German Sunday newspaper Welt am Sonntag. "I don't like the team's policy."

The interview appeared one day after Dennis accused the Italians of trying to get both of his cars disqualified following the Austrian Grand Prix.

Dennis said Ferrari had sent a letter to the FIA to try to influence the outcome of a stewards' hearing after defending world champion Mika Hakkinen's car was found to be missing a seal following his win.

The hearing ignored the letter but ruled that Hakkinen's car did not comply with the sport's strict technical regulations. The team was fined $50,000 and lost the 10 points it had won for the constructors' championship. Hakkinen, however, kept his 10 in the drivers' title race.

"Ferrari are obviously ready to go to extremes in their search for victory," Dennis told Welt am Sonntag.

Dennis also echoed recent criticism of Michael Schumacher's aggressive driving, saying: "They (Ferrari) accept Schumacher's driving style, which would not be tolerated from any other driver."

The McLaren boss said negotiations between his team and Schumacher, whose driving has been attacked by some of his fellow competitors, had failed because they did not share the same philosophy.

"My idea is that quality always comes through," he said. "Michael Schumacher's idea is that he still should have a better position than his teammate."