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.
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.
The ground floor will be home to a library and housekeeper’s office – with a guest wing and gallery on the first floor, and master bedroom and outdoor garden on the second floor.
The structure will also be accompanied by a host of outbuildings – including stables and a boathouse.
Plus, a tunnel will provide 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 appeared to be parked at the temporary construction site.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Ron Dennis interview” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”5574220987001″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]Ron, once believed to have been worth around £450 million, spent 36 years working with McLaren – and was responsible for giving Lewis Hamilton his big break.
However, he departed from the company in dramatic fashion in 2016.
The dad-of-three, 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.
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 friendship with Hamilton following the departure, with the race driver champion thanking him on many occasions for his support.
After clinching his sixth F1 world title, Lewis said of Ron: “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.
“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 entirely escaped controversy in the years since leaving McLaren.
In 2017, he 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 Ron took over his family’s reserved area, claiming: “I’ve paid the most money on the island.”
Beckham had lined up front-row seats to enjoy wife Victoria, then 42, and son Cruz, then 11, singing at the £10,000-a-week Amilla Fushi resort to ring in the new year.