(CNN)A previous five-year collaboration led to total domination of Formula One and McLaren chief executive officer Ron Dennis is confident its new partnership with Honda can bring back that winning feeling to the team. Since 1995, McLaren has been using Mercedes-Benz engines, but after two difficult seasons in F1 their new deal with the Japanese car manufacturer renews one of the most successful partnerships in motorsport's elite class. "The first few races I predict will be problematic, as we wrestle with what we hope are performance advantages, and inevitably performance advantages sometimes carry unreliability with them," Dennis told CNN's Amanda Davies in an exclusive interview.
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McLaren boss Ron Dennis discusses British team's chances for 2015 Formula One season
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Dennis expects start to new season to be "problematic" but "competitiveness will be quickly established"
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Drivers Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button need to focus on "winning and not beating each other"
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First F1 race of new season gets underway in Melbourne on March 15
While @placeholder's seat at McLaren was sorted out "five or six races before the end of the season," Button was left to sweat over his F1 future.