iSport's Motorsport Editor Kunal Shah is excited at the prospects of Mercedes Grand Prix. Read along as we welcome a much awaited 'works' team in Formula1.
2009 has to be Ross Brawn’s year! After putting up a near-shut Honda operation together and driving them to both the F1 titles this year, he’s taken a step further to strengthen his presence in Formula1. Forget a long-term sponsorship deal, Ross actually managed to convince Mercedes Benz [Daimler Auto] to pick up a majority stake in his team and start a 'Mercedes works' team! Yes, Brawn GP is now Mercedes GP!
Gone are the days when the team was hunting for sponsors to make it to the grid – gone are the days when Ross, being Team Boss himself was footing team costs and of course gone are the days when the driver’s flew economy class and paid for their own global trips to participate in Formula1.
German auto major and Mclaren’s long-term automobile partner and supplier, Mercedes Benz announced a 75% buy out in Brawn GP. A move that not only brought an end to the longest standing supplier deal in Formula1, but that will shake up the ranks in Formula1.
Ross Brawn did indeed pull out yet another unthinkable strategy from his hat. So much for his on and off track presence! Who would have believed that a marriage [Mercedes – Mclaren] that was believed to have been made in heaven could actually be brought to an end, well almost.
The news is that Mercedes will still remain engine suppliers to Mclaren – who will now go back to operating as a privateer outfit. The engine deal will remain valid until 2015 and will extend to other auto mechanisms for Mclaren’s F1 program. So much for alimony!
The F1 fans only have yet another reason to rejoice! While 3 manufacturers have pulled the plug on their F1 program and the 4th is contemplating on following suit, Mercedes have only strengthened their commitment to Formula1, proving yet again that it indeed is the battleground for the world’s biggest and most able automobile giants!
Welcome Mercedes Grand Prix – and who better than an 8 times World Champion to lead your team forward. While Nico Rosberg and Nick Heidfeld are rumoured to lead Mercedes GP’s maiden campaign in 2010, I am certain that the combination of Ross Brawn + Mercedes is something that even a Michael Schumacher would contemplate.
(The author is a former racer and currently works with Sport18 - a div. of Network18. Kunal can be contacted at
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