Comments on: Why would Mercedes take a stake in Brawn?

By: Jono Chowdhury

Jono Chowdhury — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:11:45 +0000

As another McLaren fan, I find this move by Mercedes rather interesting and the fact that their contract with McLaren is only up to 2011 (I think) is worrying for McLaren fans.
But the new MP4-12c is powered by a McLaren engine and not a Mercedes unit, this leads me to believe that Lewis will be driving a McLaren engined car in 2012 if Mercedes buys Brawn.

By: James Allen

James Allen — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:30:27 +0000

No, I think this is Mercedes finally getting control of a team. The question is, why?

By: David Allonby

David Allonby — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:01:06 +0000

I always assumed that it’d be McLaren funding any possible buy in to BrawnGP, effectively doubling the testing/windtunnel time available to them being a huge bonus. Do you think this could be a factor at all?

By: Jonathan Chan

Jonathan Chan — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 22:13:57 +0000

As a Mclaren fan this news does disappoint me, it seemed only yesterday Lewis successfully won his first world championship and despite Mclarens underdeveloped 2009 spec MP4-24 being a dog of a car you’d expect Mercedes to remain faithful of Mclarens abilities to turn it around for next season [As did Mclaren for sticking with Mercedes during the many DNF's of the 2004/2005 season] Yes Brawn have made a stunner of a car but at the expensive of their 2008 season. I highly doubt Brawn would have achieved such a significant advantage had Mclaren not been commited to fighting for the 2007/2008 world championship.

Mercedes maywell want to rethink their long term goals. Honda pulled out for a reason as did BMW, they were both fully pledged formula 1 teams with huge development costs forcing them to banish their Formula 1 ventures by focusing on their core businesses ‘Commericial Vehichles… What concerns me is Mercedes have successfully utilized their ability to be an engine supplier but fancy a crack at being a manufacturing team. That is a big step interms of financial resources and what concerns me is they maywell fail.

Why rock the boat? Mclaren have the best resources, globally recognized sponsors a world champion who became the youngest worldchampion in F1 history and the most successful formula 1 colaboration with an independent team…

By: Motorsport Links

Motorsport Links — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:08:40 +0000

[...] Why would Mercedes take a stake in Brawn? | James Allen on F1 – The official website Mercedes may be choosing this moment to pile into F1 in a bigger way than ever because the opportunity is there like never before to make a real impression on the sport. Up to now they have had the three pointed star on the McLaren, had some great wins, (but not as many as they should have had) and survived some painful scandals with their partner. (tags: F1, mclaren, Brawn,) [...]

By: Martin Collyer

Martin Collyer — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:30:10 +0000

Nice trip down memory lane, I always preferred the sound of the Ferrari, BRM note to that of the Matra. There was a gruff, mean, business-like growl to those engines against the wail of the Matra. But the variety!!!

On Vanwall, didn’t Tony V once say to Enzo, “Trouble with your cars is all the power is coming out of the exhaust pipes in the form of noise”, or words to that effect. I think he was referring to the Ferrari modified Lancia V8s.

On chassis, Lotus 78,79 even the 80, who said if it looks good it must be good, the 80 wasn’t. Lotus, again, 72,76, Ferrari 312T seies with the very wide front wings, Williams FW06, FW07. Variety!!!

On Miller, Novi, “get on with it, get it done”

By: monktonnik

monktonnik — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:28:01 +0000

If only they were both dating a Pussycat Doll

By: Rudy Pyatt

Rudy Pyatt — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:56:44 +0000

Bang on. That may be exactly what’s going on, a lot like the BMW-Williams situation. Could be that the MB board got tired of the hyphen, and that they see RD’s departure as a chance to subordinate McLaren.

By: Werewolf

Werewolf — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:36:34 +0000

Red Bull must be worried right now. As Paige says, the stakes issue must be playing on their mind, and with Renault’s future in the balance … Is the likely-to-be former Williams deal with Toyota becoming attractive? Do they stick it out with Renault? Do they trust Mercedes to be sporting, as they have been with Brawn (but against the background of an uncompetitive McLaren)? And how will this affect focus and performance for the rest of 2009?

By: Werewolf

Werewolf — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:30:29 +0000

If Mercedes were to supply Williams, they could get Rosberg and be paid for the privilege …