Whitmarsh: $9.5m from McLaren?

Martin Whitmarsh smiling all the way to the bank?

Ousted boss Martin Whitmarsh could walk away from McLaren with a payout worth the equivalent of $9.5 million.

In March 2014, when Eric Boullier became the team's new chief after Ron Dennis' return to power, it was rumored Whitmarsh had agreed not to speak to the news media while his contract payout was being negotiated.

TOUGH DECISION?

Dennis said at the time: "Martin is a friend. Some decisions you take in life are not that easy. I will not elaborate."

Britain's Daily Mail now reports that, while Whitmarsh's severance package was still being negotiated, it was "likely" to be the equivalent of about $9.5 million.

Correspondent Jonathan McEvoy said the figure was the equivalent of about $420K for each of the 24 years Whitmarsh worked at McLaren.