It seemed little more than a formality but the F1 Commission has approved the new Mercedes Grand Prix team’s request to change its name from Brawn.
The FIA statement reads:
The team will continue to receive payments based on its historical performance. This has been granted on a one-off exceptional basis due to Mercedes-Benz’s long-term involvement and commitment to Formula One.
When the team became Brawn at the start of the year it lost the numbers it was originally allocated for 2009 and had to use 22 and 23 instead. This decision could mean Mercedes retain the numbers 3 and 4 which Brawn would have used this season.
It also means the Brawn team will disappear from F1 after just 17 races – the same number as Connaught (1952-9), Onyx (1989-90) and Spyker (2007).
Its record of turning up, winning both championships, and then disappearing, is a unique one, though we must acknowledge it was the product of highly unusual circumstances as well as an excellent performance by the team.
The record of the new Mercedes team will presumably pick up where its 1950s forebear left off. Appropriately, it is probably the only team that did as much winning as Brawn did in such a short space of time (if you can think of any others that compare, please post in the comments).
The original Mercedes team claimed nine victories in 12 starts for Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss, before quitting motor sport after one if its cars was involved in the 1955 Le Mans disaster which killed 85 people.
Read more: 2010 F1 drivers and teams
Bartholomew
10th December 2009, 21:50
I am fascinated by the return of Mercedes to having a full team. Hopefully the car will look great, maybe silver with white racing stripes, and very shiny silver or chromed wheels. Anything except black wheels, which I find a very old look.
The Photoshop image that Mercedes showed when the Brawn purchase was announced did not look very exciting, it was too much of a tone-on-tone look
Keith, maybe a feature, with good photos, of the old 50s Mercedes teams would be interesting for all. The old manager was called Neuebauer, and he was quite a character.They used to race in far away places like Tripoli if I remember correctly ( hopefully Bernie wont read this )
Cheers
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
10th December 2009, 21:55
I’m sure I can oblige during the long winter months!
PJA
11th December 2009, 10:01
If you are stuck for articles during the off season how about histories of the main teams, such as Ferrari, McLaren and Williams, with photos of each car and driver, assuming you can source the pictures of course.
James_mc
11th December 2009, 0:30
Matra-Ford-Tyrell is the only team I can think off the top of my head that were even nearly as successful, but do they count as they were a privately-entered customer car?
wasiF1
11th December 2009, 1:36
Hope the car manufacture in the future get their acts together & return in F1.
Gill
11th December 2009, 3:49
Now Mclaren gets No 1 and 2 on their car, what abt the incentive from FIA. Will the highest amount would be given to BRAWN(Merc) or Mclaren ? And roughly , how much is the amount for winning the constructor’s title ?
Damon
11th December 2009, 13:07
It’s generally Mercedes taking over from Honda. Brawn just kept the Honda developed car and the team for a year.
Bartholomew
11th December 2009, 15:33
Ross Brawn sure made a series of good business moves, aside from being a great engineer. Now thats smart —
He could run the U.S. Treasury