McLaren appoint Eric Boullier as racing director in management shake-up With Whitmarsh as team principal, McLaren endured a torrid 2013, their worst season since 1980, as they failed to score a single podium. Button scored a best-placed finish of fourth at the final race in Brazil, as the team finished behind Boullier's Lotus in the constructors, who operate on a shoestring budget. Whitmarsh was not mentioned in the latest announcement, after not being involved in the launch of the new car last week, and it appears the title of team principal at McLaren will become redundant. Dennis, who took Whitmarsh's job as CEO of the McLaren Group as part of his regaining control earlier this month, said: "Eric's appointment is an integral part of a senior management restructure within McLaren Racing. I've already personally conveyed to the entire workforce of the McLaren Group, which includes McLaren Racing, the values, principles and mindset that I intend us all to adopt, going forward. My intention is that from now on everyone at McLaren Racing will understand their responsibilities and accountabilities, focusing on their specific areas of expertise, in keeping with those values, principles and mindset. In due course we'll announce the identity of McLaren Racing's new Chief Executive Officer, who'll report to me, and to whom Eric will report. Boullier, 40, added: "First of all, I regard this appointment as an honour, a privilege and a wonderful opportunity. The McLaren Racing workforce and the facilities at the McLaren Technology Centre are world-class, and I'm hugely excited about the prospect of joining such an outstanding team. I'm both eager and determined to play an active part, working alongside McLaren Racing's other senior managers and directors, within a new operational structure, to bring about the changes that will deliver success. Last, I want to take this opportunity to assure the McLaren Racing workforce that I'm utterly determined to match their famous passion and commitment to win. Meanwhile in Jerez, McLaren have been operating in testing seemingly without a team principal, but at least Jenson Button finally made it out on track following a frustrating start to pre-season testing. Of the nine teams with an available car to run on the opening day at Jerez on Tuesday, Button was the only driver not to turn a wheel in anger. McLaren described the situation as "a challenging start," and that like other teams they had "faced difficulties" readying the MP4-29 for the first of the three winter tests. The team blamed "electrical issues" for the lack of running which required the dismantling, inspection and reinstallation of several major components. Given the complexities of the new powertrain units (turbocharged 1.6-litre V6s have replaced the 2.4-litre V8s) and the new-for-2014 ERS (energy recovery system), all the teams have faced headaches in the build process, hampered by the lack of time. But on a chilly, damp second day on Wednesday, McLaren completed an installation lap early on, followed by a further 12 laps of the southern Spanish track in just over three hours of the session.