Formula One champions Brawn will compete as Mercedes Grand Prix next season after the German carmaker announced a takeover on Monday along with the sale of their stake in McLaren. Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche, whose company owns Mercedes, said Ross Brawn would remain team principal while the carmaker will continue to supply long-term partners McLaren with engines until at least the end of 2015.
"In the changed environment of Formula One, we will face the competition on the most important motor sports stage from now on with our own Silver Arrows works team," he said. Mercedes had been 40 percent shareholders in McLaren but that team, who won the 2008 drivers' title with Lewis Hamilton, said in a separate statement that they had agreed to buy back the stake by 2011. Brawn GP, who emerged from the remains of departed Honda, won the championship in their debut season at the Brazilian Grand Prix last month with Britain's Jenson Button also securing the drivers' title.
Mercedes would not comment on who would be driving for Brawn, although Germany's Nico Rosberg looks certain to be in the line-up after leaving Williams. Button is out of contract and has also been talking to McLaren as well as Brawn. The takeover deal, which had been expected, gives Mercedes a majority shareholding in Brawn along with Abu Dhabi investment company Aabar, who bought a 9.1 percent stake in Daimler last March.
The two combined will own 75.1 percent of Brawn, with Daimler holding 45.1 percent. No financial details were given. "Brawn GP has been through an incredible journey over the last 12 months," said Ross Brawn in a statement. Mercedes and McLaren have been partners since 1995 but the relationship has been strained by McLaren's determination to emulate rivals Ferrari as a road car manufacturer as well as a racing team.
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