Mercedes has announced today that parent company Daimler and its partner Aabar has bought the final 24.9% stake in the team, which had remained in the hands of Ross Brawn, Nick Fry and the management team. That management team, which saved the Brackley outfit from closure in 2009, operated as Brawn GP that year and then sold a controlling interest in the team to Mercedes, will remain on board but without holding equity. This is a very logical step for all parties. For team principal Ross Brawn this is the completion of a process which has made him a very More…

Continuing the series of personal look backs on the season, in no particular order, as they say.. Mercedes GP Team, 0 wins, 3 podiums, 0 poles – 4th in Constructors’ Championship I remember saying towards the end of the 2009 season, when the Brawn team was fending off McLaren and Red Bull for the championship, that in 2010 they would be the fourth place team and so it proved. It was a combination of limited resources and having to divert much of them to winning the 2009 title at the expense of the 2010 car. The cutbacks in what was More…

There is an interesting interview with Ross Brawn in today’s Gazzetta dello Sport, in which he says that he believes Mercedes will have a car to challenge for the championship next year and confirms that “Mercedes will be my last team.” He also tips Fernando Alonso to win the world championship this year, reiterating the admiration he has for the Spaniard, whom he tried hard to sign for Honda in late 2008. Having won 16 world championships with Benetton, Ferrari and then the crowning glory of world titles with his own team, Brawn is now engaged in a new challenge More…

Nick Heidfeld has accepted the role of test and development driver for Pirelli tyres, hoping that having a head start in understanding the tyre will make him an attractive proposition to an F1 team as a race driver for 2011. The 33 year old German has been a rather forlorn looking reserve driver for Mercedes this season. With no on track testing allowed during the season, his role has been largely on the simulator and behind the scenes at the factory and the race track. The Pirelli opportunity involves him driving the 2009 Toyota car, not the car which was More…

The legendary Silver Arrows works Mercedes Benz F1 team will return to Formula 1 racing next year for the first time in 55 years. Mercedes Benz is buying 75.1% of the Brawn team. Mercedes CEO Dr Dieter Zetsche and Mercedes motorsport chief Norbert Haug announced this morning that the team will be rebranded as the Mercedes team from next season onwards and the colour scheme will change to the Silver Arrows livery. The move allows Mercedes to have its own brand to the fore, rather than subservient to the McLaren brand, for a fraction of the cost of what they More…