The Mercedes-Benz motor company has confirmed that it will switch allegiances on the Formula One grid from the McLaren team to reigning champions Brawn GP in 2010, ending weeks of speculation over the move.
The Mercedes company announced the switch in a news conference this lunchtime, with the deal effectively being announced as a takeover of the 2009 constructors champions by Mercedes.
The deal will see Mercedes take a 75.1% stake in the Brawn GP team, which until the start of 2009 was owned by another manufacturer in Honda, and is likely to see reigning F1 champion Jenson Button leave the team for a drive with McLaren. The Brackley-based team is set to be renamed "Mercedes GP" from 2010 onwards. Which sounds rubbish. Ross Brawn is to stay on as team principal.
Mercedes will continue to supply the McLaren team with engines, but the Woking team will effectively be downgraded to a Mercedes customer team. The current 40% stake in the team owned by Mercedes will be sold back to McLaren in a "phased process" between now and 2011.
Speaking at the announcement, Dr Dieter Zetsche, the head of Mercedes cars, said that: "Mercedes will compete in the F1 world championship next year starting with its own factory team. This is possible by the agreed acquisition of 75.1 per cent of Brawn GP, 45.1 per cent of which is from Daimler. The rest will be with the current share - Ross Brawn, Nick Fry and other members.
"The interests of Daimler are aligned therefore it will be a true Mercedes-Benz team. Ross Brawn will continue to be the team principal and thereby we are maintaining his strength. Just like the engine team at Mercedes Benz High Performance Engines, the new Mercedes Benz grand prix team will be co-ordinated by Mercedes Benz Motorsport which is as everybody knows headed by Norbert Haug."
Mercedes are expected to place Nico Rosberg as the lead driver in the team, with Nick Heidfeld moving from BMW to take the second seat, forming an all-German Mercedes squad.
Though there has been no official confirmation of the driver line up for 2010, Rosberg is known to be the main target for the team, with some sources claiming a deal has already been signed, while Mercedes boss Norbert Haug revealed earlier that the company had been in touch with Heidfeld.
Although the first choice of the team would be to retain Button, the 2009 world champion is looking increasingly likely to move to McLaren in a deal that could be worth twice the amount that Brawn have offered to him.
Despite losing their works contract with Mercedes, McLaren have negotiated an extention to their engine supply contract with the German marque, which will now run until the end of 2015. Speaking after the announcement, McLaren chairman Ron Dennis claimed that the result was "win-win" for both sides, and that the McLaren team would continue to run with a silver and red colour scheme in 2010.
"This is a win-win situation, for both McLaren and Daimler," Dennis grinned, "I've often stated that it's my belief that, in order to survive and thrive in 21st-century Formula 1, a team must become much more than merely a team.
"That being the case, in order to develop and sustain the revenue streams required to compete and win grands prix and world championships, companies that run Formula 1 teams must broaden the scope of their commercial activities.
"Nonetheless, all of our partners will of course continue to play a crucial role in our Formula 1 programme. For that reason, and because the engines they produce are very competitive, we're delighted that Mercedes-Benz has committed to continue not only as an engine supplier but also as a partner of ours until 2015 – and perhaps thereafter."
The McLaren team will continue to be known as 'Vodafone McLaren Mercedes' in 2010, despite losing their works status with the German company.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
