FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[EwanM]

Mercedes set to buy into Brawn GP

By Jonathan Noble Monday, September 7th 2009, 08:03 GMT

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/78399

Brawn GP's Formula 1 future is poised for a major boost, with Mercedes-Benz close to a deal to take equity in the team.

With the world championship leaders already having secured sponsorship funding for the next few years, as revealed by AUTOSPORT last month, the team's outlook now looks even better following discussions with the German car manufacturer.

Reports first emerged about the plans this morning in The Daily Telegraph, and sources have confirmed to AUTOSPORT that talks are at an advanced stage for the car company to take a shareholding in the team.

It comes on the back of Mercedes-Benz's increased profile as a customer engine supplier over the past season - with the team set to provide power-units to McLaren, Force India, Brawn and, perhaps, Red Bull Racing in 2010.

The move is not, however, an attempt by Mercedes-Benz to move away from its long-standing commitment to partner McLaren - and it is instead believed to be part of the car manufacturer's attempt to increase its presence in F1.

A McLaren spokesman told AUTOSPORT that the team had no qualms about Mercedes-Benz's plans for expanding its involvement with its rivals in the sport.

"Mercedes-Benz's engine supply contract with McLaren is a very long-standing one - it's in its 15th consecutive year, in fact - and it will continue to run for many years to come," said the spokesman.

"However, we're supportive of our partner's plans regarding engine supply of other teams in Formula 1, and we were delighted earlier this year that a Mercedes-Benz engine supply deal was able to be done with Brawn, thereby saving that team from likely extinction.

"Force India, too, has blossomed as a result of its engine supply/engineering consultancy collaboration with Mercedes-Benz and McLaren - as Giancarlo Fisichella's impressive second place in the recent Belgian Grand Prix showed all too clearly.

"Both McLaren and Mercedes-Benz remain extremely satisfied with our Formula 1 collaboration, which has netted two drivers' world championships and one constructors' world championship as well as dozens of grand prix victories.

"As ever, we'll be aiming to add to that win tally together at this weekend's Italian Grand Prix - although we never under-estimate our opposition and the competition will undoubtedly be tough."

Mercedes-Benz itself denied that the plan was for a full-blown buyout of Brawn, but did not rule out an equity-type deal.

"It's our policy not to comment on rumours and we want to point out that we have longstanding contracts with McLaren," a spokesperson for the company told The Daily Telegraph.

Mercedes-Benz is poised to confirm its engine plans for 2010 at the Italian Grand Prix, although there is fresh uncertainty now surrounding whether or not Red Bull Racing will make the switch from Renault to Mercedes-Benz.

Although the deal had appeared to be all but done in recent weeks, sources suggest that the contract has not yet been signed - and it is not impossible that the team could actually stick with its current partner for another year.

Williams is looking at changing its engine supply deal for next year, having asked Toyota to be released from its contract, and had been expected to switch to Renault. However, there remains a chance the Grove-based outfit could be in the running for a Mercedes-Benz deal if Red Bull Racing opts not to take it.

I wonder how Da Doo Ron Ron will take this?

I suppose it shows the German manufacturer's commitment to Formula One, but weren't they already sufficiently represented with their shares in McLaren as well as their engine supplies?

Ross "the banana" Brawn must have a very good future strategy if he pulled this off and although i'm sure Merc's shares in Brawn won't be anywhere near the total which they have in McLaren, it will still strengthen their say in the sport.

Some may say that this is good for the sport, but certainly there are a lot of negatives.
I mean for a kick off do Mercedes want to have their hands in every aspect of the sport? They seem to have no qualms about supplying as many teams as they can, they even offered to use their kers system as a standard unit.

I mean what if the unfortunate day comes and Mercedes are forced to leave the sport? I'm not suggesting that this will ever happen however it's not impossible. If that happened then where would this leave the sport? I would say that McLaren would be safe, but what about Brawn? And what about the big hole that Merc would leave in terms of engine supply? That would open the door for Standard engines

I suppose at the present moment, this is a vote of confidence for Formula One. Mercedes obviously appear committed - which is more than can be said for other manufacturers. Moreover they appear to want to create a safety net incase a number of manufacturers do decide to pull the plug.

[headless]

100mph

[EwanM]

100mph

?

[Gaz]

not good for Mclaren.

Wonder if this anything to do with Mclaren Automotive's Launch of the new supercar.

[f1usa]

Opens the door for Nico Rosberg at Brawn, a German Driver with a Mercedes sponsored team.

[EwanM]

Opens the door for Nico Rosberg at Brawn, a German Driver with a Mercedes sponsored team.

Good point.

[bud]

good luck to them if they do..

[McLaren Fan]

From the way Mercedes are talking, it does sound as though something is going on. Anybody with a half an ounce of grey matter can interpret the newspeak from big companies.

Not mentioned in the article is Mercedes' desire to own a Formula One team outright. The signs from McLaren have always been that this was probably not going to happen. Mansour Ojjeh has no plans of selling of his stake in McLaren, Ron Dennis will never let go of his shares in what's basically been his life's work, and the Mumtalakat Holding Company are keeping their stake in the Group as an insurance policy for when Bahrain's oil runs out. Could it be that Mercedes is getting tired of waiting about?

From a McLaren point of view, I'm not really worried, as the team is more than capable of surviving without Mercedes being a shareholder; it's smaller outfits like Brawn who have a lot more to lose if they were to become too dependant on Brawn. The deal has its positives for McLaren, too, in the sense that more Mercedes engines being used means more data etc. for the team, and if Mercedes are doing well, then their commitment to Formula One will be strengthened. As a lot of other people have said, I am getting a little bit worried about Mercedes' growing influence in the sport. If things continue going as they were, Formula One is going to have a de facto standard engine and, possibly, KERS. Max Mosley will be very happy about the noises coming from Stuttgart. Finally, spare a thought for AKR. She must be devastated at the chances of McLaren being taken over by Mercedes appearing to decrease significantly.

[darwin dali]

From the way Mercedes are talking, it does sound as though something is going on. Anybody with a half an ounce of grey matter can interpret the newspeak from big companies.

Not mentioned in the article is Mercedes' desire to own a Formula One team outright. The signs from McLaren have always been that this was probably not going to happen. Mansour Ojjeh has no plans of selling of his stake in McLaren, Ron Dennis will never let go of his shares in what's basically been his life's work, and the Mumtalakat Holding Company are keeping their stake in the Group as an insurance policy for when Bahrain's oil runs out. Could it be that Mercedes is getting tired of waiting about?

From a McLaren point of view, I'm not really worried, as the team is more than capable of surviving without Mercedes being a shareholder; it's smaller outfits like Brawn who have a lot more to lose if they were to become too dependant on Brawn. The deal has its positives for McLaren, too, in the sense that more Mercedes engines being used means more data etc. for the team, and if Mercedes are doing well, then their commitment to Formula One will be strengthened. As a lot of other people have said, I am getting a little bit worried about Mercedes' growing influence in the sport. If things continue going as they were, Formula One is going to have a de facto standard engine and, possibly, KERS. Max Mosley will be very happy about the noises coming from Stuttgart. Finally, spare a thought for AKR. She must be devastated at the chances of McLaren being taken over by Mercedes appearing to decrease significantly.

Well, good thing there's Ferrari to sprinkle a bit of red for variety

[Jabberwocky]

I am sure I said in another thread a few weeks ago about this. lets face it Brawn have produced a better bang per buck this year plus with very little tech changes next year. there is not major advances to be made.

[darwin dali]

I am sure I said in another thread a few weeks ago about this. lets face it Brawn have produced a better bang per buck this year plus with very little tech changes next year. there is not major advances to be made.

Well, the refueling ban could throw in a monkey wrench - if you don't get it right, the car will be hard to drive. And the situation about KERS or no KERS doesn't bring much stability either.

[scotty]

Opens the door for Nico Rosberg at Brawn, a German Driver with a Mercedes sponsored team.

Or maybe it is the other way round, ie that Rosberg has already signed with Brawn, which gave Mercedes a good reason to make the buy in. I doubt it myself (i really think he's off to McLaren), but no harm throwing the possibility out there, anything goes in the silly season.

Although the potential conflict of interest stikes me as odd given that both teams are competitive and completely unrelated to each other (obviously a very different scenario to the one concerning Red Bull), the idea that they are just hedging their bets makes the most sense. Anyone have any clues as to what percentage of Brawn they are going to buy?

[Jabberwocky]

Maybe Merc have said "we want to buy an F1 team?"

Mclaren "erm no we are not for sale"

Brawn "Yes OK here's the keys to the factory"
Merc "Maybe if you do not do rubbish next year, tell you what we will sponsor you this year, if your good we will buy you!"
Brawn "yep sounds good"

[Jabberwocky]

I am sure I said in another thread a few weeks ago about this. lets face it Brawn have produced a better bang per buck this year plus with very little tech changes next year. there is not major advances to be made.

Well, the refueling ban could throw in a monkey wrench - if you don't get it right, the car will be hard to drive. And the situation about KERS or no KERS doesn't bring much stability either.

they are going to get the Merc KERS, plus they are over easy on there tyres so a bit more weight will only help

[Brandz]

I am sure I said in another thread a few weeks ago about this. lets face it Brawn have produced a better bang per buck this year plus with very little tech changes next year. there is not major advances to be made.

Well, the refueling ban could throw in a monkey wrench - if you don't get it right, the car will be hard to drive. And the situation about KERS or no KERS doesn't bring much stability either.

they are going to get the Merc KERS, plus they are over easy on there tyres so a bit more weight will only help

mercedes didnt make kers for mclaren..