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Former employee ends action against McLaren F1 boss

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-01-14 10:06

LONDON - A former air steward apologised to McLaren Formula One boss Ron Dennis at an employment tribunal on Tuesday after withdrawing accusations of racism and homophobia against him.

"I unreservedly apologise to Mr Dennis and all respondents, and to the Southampton Employment Tribunal, for wasting their time with what I now realise were unfounded allegations," Peter Boland said in a statement to the tribunal.

Dennis had employed Boland on his private plane between 2002 and 2007.

"This case has been hurtful, irritating and unnecessary, in the sense that no impropriety ever took place, which fact Mr Boland now concedes," Dennis said in a separate statement on the McLaren website (www.mclaren.com).

"Equally, Mr Boland accepts that I have never said or done anything either racist or homophobic."

Britain's Lewis Hamilton, Formula One's first black driver, won the championship with Mercedes-powered McLaren last year.

Dennis and his Saudi business partner Mansour Ojjeh each own 15 percent of McLaren, while Bahrain's Mumtalakat holding company have a 30 percent stake.