F1: Brawn To Sell Rest Of Team To Mercedes, Lauds Rosberg

Formula 1

F1: Brawn To Sell Rest Of Team To Mercedes, Lauds Rosberg

Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn is selling his remaining shares in the team...

SPEED Staff / GMM | Posted February 02, 2011 GMM Newswire

Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn believes that consensus can be reached on the resource restriction agreement. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Mercedes is set to take complete control of the Brackley-based F1 team that bears its name.

The German carmaker took over the team last year but Ross Brawn and his partners retained 24.9 percent of the shares, the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport said.

The report said a deal to make Mercedes and Daimler shareholder AABAR the 100 percent owner will be in place by March's Bahrain season opener.

The Brackley-based team began life in the late '90s as British American Racing (BAR), later becoming Honda which pulled out of F1 at the end of the 2008 season.

Auto Motor und Sport said Mercedes intends to keep team boss Brawn on board as an employee.

Brawn, meanwhile, has admitted he would like driver Nico Rosberg to play a long-term role with the team.

The 25-year-old son of 1982 World Champion Keke Rosberg joined the team last year and scored 70 more points than Michael Schumacher as the sport's most successful driver made his return to F1.

It is believed Rosberg signed a three-year contract, meaning he is set to stay at least until the end of next season.

But Brawn told Sport Bild that Rosberg is "extremely talented" and would be welcome at Mercedes for much longer.

"It is very important that we have drivers like Nico Rosberg with us in the long term," said the Briton. "I would be very happy if our relationship with Nico continues for a long time.

"He has all the qualities needed by a World Champion," added Brawn.

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