F1 TYCOON Ron Dennis has started work on a £30 million mansion – complete with a secret tunnel to the River Thames, a huge garage and underground baths.
Diggers were spotted at the 175-acre plot of premium Berkshire parkland – which Ron bought after selling his McLaren shares for a whopping £275 million in 2017.
Ron Dennis on the podium with Lewis Hamilton at the Monaco F1 Grand Prix[/caption]
The F1 legend, and former mentor to Lewis Hamilton, initially submitted plans for the mammoth project in 2018, but work never started.
Updated documents were resubmitted to the planning authority in 2021 and approved in 2023.
On the basement level, the 77-year-old plans to build a games room, wine cellar, cinema, gym, underground swimming pool – akin to Roman-style baths – and spa.
A spiral staircase will lead up to the basement mezzanine level, which will come complete with its own water feature, as well as a car park and car wash.
Meanwhile, the dad-of-three will build a library and housekeeper’s office on the ground floor, a guest wing and gallery on the first floor, and master bedroom and outdoor garden on the second floor.
The structure will also come complete with host of outbuildings – including stables and a boathouse.
There will be tunnel for boat access down to the River Thames.
In aerial shots obtained by the Mail, diggers could be seen beginning their excavation of the site.
Markings could also be seen on the ground, plotting out the various sections of the development.
Many cars and vans were parked at the temporary construction site.
Ron, who is believed to have been worth around £450 million during his time with McLaren, worked at the company for 36 years – during which time, he gave Lewis Hamilton his big break.
However, he departed from the company in dramatic fashion in 2016.
Ron, who owned 25 percent of the group, came under pressure from businessman Mansour Ojjeh and Bahrain’s Mumtalakat investment fund, who owned the remaining shares.
After failing to overturn a decision to place him on gardening leave, he was unanimously ordered to quit his role.
Speaking of his exit, he said: “I am disappointed that the representatives of TAG and Mumtalakat, the other main shareholders in McLaren, have forced through this decision to place me on gardening leave.
“Despite the strong warnings from the rest of the management team about the potential consequences of their actions on the business.”
Ron kept up his mentorship with Hamilton following the departure, with the F1 champion thanking him on many occasions for his support.
After clinching his sixth F1 world title, Lewis said: “I am so grateful for all the people I know that have cared to send me a text to congratulate me.
“It is a lot to reply too, there are like 400 messages. But seeing Ron’s text really touched me inside.
“I met him when I was 10 and he saw something in me that no one else did except from my dad.
“He gave me an opportunity to showcase my abilities and to learn and to grow and without him I wouldn’t have made it to Formula One.
Ron has continued his friendship with Lewis Hamilton[/caption]
“I would have fallen away due to lack of finances. I would have been leapfrogged by a bunch of individuals who had more money so I am forever grateful and I will always have love for Ron.
“I hope he feels pride, and he said how proud he was, so I hope he can feel he is just as much a part of this than anyone.”
However, Ron has not been without controversy in the years since leaving McLaren – and in 2017, was reported to have had an explosive row with David Beckham at a New Year’s Eve party.
The ex-England captain, 41, reportedly flipped when Dennis, 69, took over his family’s reserved area then crowed: “I’ve paid the most money on the island.”
Beckham had lined up front-row seats to enjoy wife Victoria, 42, and son Cruz, 11, singing at the £10,000-a-week Amilla Fushi resort on New Year’s Eve.
An onlooker said: “Becks was fuming.
“It was a throwback to his early football days when he used to show his temper on the pitch.
“He really didn’t hold back.”
