Courtesy-F1
McLaren has confirmed the death of Mansour Ojjeh, a stakeholder and key role in the team since 1984, at the age of 68.
Ojjeh initially became engaged in motor racing in 1979, when his father’s company, TAG, became a sponsor of the Williams team. The squad quickly won their maiden race and championships as a result of the investment, before then-McLaren head Ron Dennis persuaded Ojjeh to invest in his team, where he remained a major figure for more than 30 years.
“Mansour Ojjeh’s death has grieved everyone at McLaren Racing,” McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown remarked. Mansour has been a part of this team’s heart and soul for almost 40 years and is essential to its success. In every way, he was a real racer. Extremely competitive, driven, passionate, and, perhaps most essential characteristic: Mansour always put sport first, no matter how intense the conflict.
Mansour was a behemoth of the sport, yet he was humble, unpretentious, and disarming to everyone he met. His easygoing demeanor, quick wit, and warm humor endeared him to those who had the good fortune to meet him.
F1 figures from all across the world paid their respects to Ojjeh, including F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali. “I was shocked to learn about the death of our very dear buddy Mansour,” he stated.