McLaren boss Ron Dennis is likely to step aside this week, according to reports.

According to the Sunday Times, sources close to Dennis have made it clear that the man who has built McLaren into one of the most powerful teams in the history of the sport is determined to achieve a better balance between his family life, other McLaren businesses and the Grand Prix team.

Dennis, who recently announced that he had split with his wife of 22 years, Lisa, is understood to feel that the time demands of leading the F1 team have become disproportionate and is leaning towards a change of priorities.

The 61-year old is understood to be wanting to speak more time with his children, and is expected to announce his decision in midweek.

Dealing with the ‘Spygate’ affair stopped Dennis from fulfilling his original intention of stepping down at the end of last season. However, he believes that doing so now would not adversely affect the business, including Lewis Hamilton’s chances of winning the championship in his second season.

This is despite the investigations of Italian police regarding the 780-page dossier of Ferrari data that was passed to Mike Coughlan, then McLaren’s chief designer, last year.

The sport’s governing body, the FIA, fined McLaren a record £50m and disqualified the team from the constructors’ championship, which it would have won.

Last week, Italian detectives carried out an oddly-timed series of raids on the homes of several McLaren employees, and took copies of the e-mails which the FIA concluded proved the information was more widespread within the company than Dennis had originally claimed.

However, those who believed a fine of £50m would have a detrimental effect on McLaren’s championship challenge have - so far - been proved wrong.

Pre-season testing results in Spain suggest that 2008 title will come down to a battle between the Woking-based team and rivals Ferrari, as it did last season.