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Mercedes-Benz F1 sells McLaren, buys Brawn

By Matt Brogan |

Formula One powerhouse Mercedes-Benz is selling its share of McLaren and has bought a majority stake in Brawn GP.

Team principal Ross Brawn – who led Jenson Button to this year’s title and was technical director for Michael Schumacher’s seven world championships – will remain at the helm of the new team.

The takeover creates “Mercedes Grand Prix” which will operate like a Mercedes-Benz works team.

Fledgling team Brawn GP will be renamed Silver Arrow in honour of the 75th anniversary of the Benz Silver Arrow race cars.

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Daimler and its major stakeholder (Abu Dhabi’s Aabar Investments) now own a 75.1 per cent majority of Brawn, and will sell back its 40 per cent share of McLaren by 2011.

But Mecedes will continue selling its engines to McLaren Group, possibly until 2015.

There has been no official word on driver movements but reports suggest Button is unhappy with the current offer of £8 million (AUD$14.4 million) for 2010.

Button – who voluntarily dropped his salary to £3 million this season – reportedly believes the Mercedes takeover means more money is available to him and is therefore driving a hard bargain.

Rubens-Barrichello-Ross-Brawn-Jenson-Button-A_2079770

But Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche is on a different page, planning to cut Mercedes’ F1 expenditure by three-quarters over the next three years.

If Button does stay on it could create the mouthwatering prospect of a dream team combining Brawn, Button and Lewis Hamilton sometime in the near future.

It is believed 24-year-old German Nico Rosberg also may have been signed to the works team for 2010, while Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel is believed to be a target for 2012.

by Tim Beissmann


 
  • Toyota Guru

    I can’t wait for the 2010 F1 season, it’ll be a cracker!

  • Mad Max

    I’m not sure about your optomism Toyota Guru. F1 has been rubbish for years now and every year us die hard fans sit and watch more rubbish. How many genuine overtaking manouvers was their for the lead in 2009? Not many. I read an article in a German F1 magazine last month and they sais that in the past 5 years, genuine wheel to wheel racing passes for first place numbered 9! Thats 5 years or around 90 races for 9 genuine passes. Yes the technology is great. Yes the spectacle at the track is ok. But the racing is rubbish. Most of the overtaking is done in the pits. Next year with no in race re-fueling it will be worse and we will get back to the bad old days of cars that should win don’t because they are in danger of running out on the last lap. Its a joke and a sign of desperation by FIA. I say remove down force but control speeds with drag, remove the carbon brakes and go back to steel to increase braking distances allowing for overtaking, allow one pit stop for fuel and increase the allocation of tyres per car per event and finaly restrict the number of ‘over the wall’ pit crew to no more that 6 people. 1 per wheel and 2 for fuel. Nobody else can touch the car.

    • Hendrik

      Have to maintain a level of safety too Mad Max.

      The issue is, as you quite rightly mentioned – braking distances.

      The Aero changes for 2009 showed the cars following on average a few tenths closer to each other around typical processional circuits like Catalunya and Bahrain.

      I think increasing braking distance without impacting on safety is key, in addition to that maybe a reduction in front tyre size?

      Oh and the point about refuelling:

      the teams will create race strategies that utilise the softer or option tyre compound more effectively so we may see some great racing nevertheless

  • F1 Addict

    Expect Rosberg to be announced as Buttons team mate within the coming days.

  • ABMPSV

    Button to McLaren

    • F1 Addict

      Source?

      • ABMPSV

        MOst english papers and some german

  • ABMPSV

    It could be nest year English v Germany. McLaren with Hamilton and Button against Mercedes with Rosberg and Heidfeld.

  • ABMPSV

    LONDON, Nov 17 (Reuters) – Formula One world champion Jenson Button has agreed terms on a three-year deal with McLaren and could sign a contract within days, Britain’s Guardian newspaper reported on Tuesday.

    There was no immediate comment from the Woking-based team or the driver’s management.

    The newspaper’s long-standing Formula One reporter Alan Henry, who has close connections with McLaren, said the deal would be worth 6 million pounds ($10.10 million) a year to 29-year-old Button.
    http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKLH55900820091117

  • Alan

    Next year, Mercedes vs McLaren, German vs English. Personally though, I think Button should’ve stayed with Brawn/Mercedes, he should stay in a team that will give him the number one spot in the team. At McLaren, I reckon Hamilton will be the number one driver, and Button might have had his first and only championship of his career this year.