Mercedes should put a sticker on this car

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Your ad here: Mercedes should brand Brawn

At the current rate of scoring*, after the European Grand Prix it will be inevitable that one of the Brawn GP drivers will win the drivers’ championship.

And the Mercedes-powered cars have already scored more than twice as many points as any of their rivals.

So why haven’t Mercedes plastered their logos all over the BGP 001s?

At Monaco Jenson Button not only won his fifth race of the year, he won his third in a row with the same Mercedes V8 engine.

The Stuttgart marque’s promotional department must be desperate to make use of this marketing gold.

A Mercedes representative explained to me recently that as Brawn’s deal with the team is purely a customer relationship, it gives Mercedes no advertising presence on the car.

That makes sense, but surely the time has come for Mercedes to get their logos on the car and make certain they milk Brawn’s increasingly likely championship victory for all it’s worth?

It’s hard to believe a manufacturer could miss an opportunity like this – though I have heard it said that Ford failed to capitalise on Michael Schumacher’s championship victory with Benetton in 1994.

It makes me wonder if Mercedes’ relationship with McLaren presents contractual obstacles to them using Brawn in their promotional work?

Whatever the reason, Mercedes’s decision to supply Brawn with engines – at a time when they were already taking on a new customer in Force India – played a significant role in saving the team from the scrap heap. It would be a real pity if Mercedes’ role in their success went unrecognised.

*Based on the first six races this year, assuming no further ‘half points’ races.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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50 comments on “Mercedes should put a sticker on this car”

  1. Once was the time when the Engine manufactorer’s logo was the 2nd biggest sticker on the car behind the title sponsor.

    I still think the marque’s name should be on each car, just so people (the more casual fan) know at a glance. Along with the driver’s number being displayed big on the nose and rear wing endplates.

    I wonder when we’ll see some new stickers on the Brawn? British GP maybe?

    1. james moreton
      30th May 2009, 3:09

      in 2010 there will be so many sponser’s u wont be able to tell the color of the cars..Mercedes must be spewing that there finding it hard to put a sticker on the car and its obviously not all about engines as a few teams are running the merc power plant and suffering, its all about strategy and with ross brawns brains and rubens barichello’s experience at setting up the car thats a recipe for winning!!

  2. You are 100% right – at the very least they should get their badge on the car while there’s still room.

    1. That one make me laught.
      But you are right!!!

  3. I’ve been thinking this for a while now too, but surely it must be contractual (with McLaren).

    Would be interesting to ask somebody at Mercedes or Brawn about this, as I’m sure Brawn would kind of want to do it at least in the interim, as a kind of thank you – they don’t really have anything to lose by slapping the Merc badge on.

    1. Don’t forget though, Mercedes OWNS 40% of McLaren.

  4. I thought it was probably something to do with Mercedes partnership with McLaren preventing them putting their name on other cars.

    I may just be me not being able to find it on the pictures I have seen but I can’t see Mercedes on the Force Indias either.

    I noticed that the Red Bulls have a small Renault logo on though.

    Every team has the Bridgestone logo on so it would be nice if they also had the name of the engine as well.

  5. Prisoner Monkeys
    28th May 2009, 9:00

    If I were Brawn, I’d be more concerned with getting sponsorship on the car as soon as possible. Then again, given their run of form, they can probably afford to hold out as long as possible and net a big one later in the year.

  6. I thought the Force Indias had Mercedes logos somewhere, presumably as they are the official engine supplier. And since Mercedes helped Brawn out on behalf of the FIA, it is surprising that they aren’t allowed to have space anywhere on the car – the tail fins maybe.
    Did I read somewhere that once the colours on the car are agreed, they cannot be changed all season, which is why Mr Branson may be pumping money into the team, but the cars are only showing the original small logos. We won’t see changes until next season, when there will be big logos fighting for space all over the cars.

    1. Sush Meerkat
      28th May 2009, 9:31

      which is why Mr Branson may be pumping money into the team,

      He’s not pumping money into the team, he’s given them 250K. Which isn’t much.

      He’s parading around F1 like he owes the place though, so he’s getting a massive return.

    2. Well i don’t think the FIA would mind the car changing its livery for commercial (survival) reasons. REd bull have done it with their star wars livery (if i remember correctly). they also did it with D.C’s car in the last race, which he crashed out of..

    3. The car liveries can be changed during the season, they just need unanimous agreement from all other teams.

    4. Speaking of changing liveries for movie tie-ins we had Brawn and Terminator Salvation this year but usually it has been at Monaco with Jaguar then Red Bull when they bought Jaguar.

      Off the top of my head I remember one of the Oceans films possibly Ocean 12 with Jaguar, Star Wars Revenge of the Sith in 2005 with Red Bull, and Superman Returns in 2006 when Coulthard had to wear a cape when he got to the podium.

      Can anyone remember anymore?

    5. He’s not pumping money into the team, he’s given them 250K

      Mere pocket money eh?

      The changes in car livery only appear to be for the special occasions, as Ronman and PJA point out. I don’t ever remember both cars in a team suddenly gaining a completely new livery for the rest of the season.

    6. Didn’t BAR do this mid-season once – i.e. that horrible red/blue colour for a few races?

    7. Footwork/Arrows in 1996. Livery completely changed a few races in when Tom Walkinshaw bought the team

      And the Midland turned very orange mid-way through the season when Spyker bought them.

    8. Well, change of ownership usually means a change of livery doesn’t it? You cannot compete still showing the other fella’s sponsors….
      I had forgotten the BAR/555 mix. That was only for a few races wasn’t it, then it became the ‘target’ livery I think. Didn’t they want one car in each livery, but were not allowed? That would have been much more interesting.

  7. ‘If you like it then you shouldve put a sticker on it’ – as Beyonce would say

  8. I thought Ross Brawn and Nick Fry were really hamming up Mercedes role and importance in Brawn GP/Button’s success after the Monaco race. Rightly so, but as we all know, in F1 there’s always something to be read between the lines.

  9. Does anyone else think that although Brawn are lapping it up now and waiting for the best deal with a title sponsor that they may fall into the trap they avoided last year by concentrating on the 2009 car in 2008 and fall backwards next year. I think they should net a big title sponsor asap – just for the record i hope they don’t fall back because their story is great for the sport and for Jenson & Rubens

  10. It all looks smooth sailing for Brawn GP now, but who doesn’t know this game. It’s not guaranteed their shuttle-like pace is going to continue and carry them to the pinnacle of the championship and beyond. I’m sure interested parties are weighing whether Brawn GP is gonna be a “one hit wonder” or a consistent performer. Either is hard to figure out at the moment.

    I’ve seen some headlines (UK ones of course)screaming that Jense is gonna be a GBP 10 million man in 2010. Not long ago, they said the same of a few other people whose 10 mil we are still waiting to see. A bit of hype all round.

  11. Might it have something to do with the fact that the car was developed by Honda and the team is reputedly running on their cash for the moment, because they sure aren’t running on what Branson is putting in…

    1. ah… I think you’re on to something there

  12. Personally I think is’s a contractual thing with McLaren. McLaren have been in the sport far too long and are far to astute to let a ‘loop hole’ like catch them out…

  13. graham228221
    28th May 2009, 10:25

    It has already been reported that Mercedes have considered it, but previously Haug has stated that they want to concentrate on their relationship with Mclaren.

    So it doesn’t seem like a contractual issue, maybe Mercedes are reluctant to look too opportunistic?

    1. Yeah that’s a good point.

      mercedes are a component manufacturer, mclaren is the team

      mclaren-mercedes
      brawn-mercedes

      etc, they own part of mclaren and are using their resources and money to develop that team rather then putting their weight behind the ‘new comer’

      mclaren-mercedes is seen as mercedes, and branding the brawn car with mercedes could blur the lines for the public.

  14. maybe its because stickers would upset the airflow?

  15. I think it’s contractual, because Ross, Jenson, Rubens and everyone else at Brawn go out of their way in interviews to thank Mercedes Benz on every occasion. they are making a habit of mentioning M.B in every answer that relates to their performance, and consistence.

    so if you do read between the lines, they want to give M.B the Credit, and if given the choice, i don’t think brawn would hesitate to stick a Tristar at least behind the cockpit or nose cone. he’s got his seat belt manufacture posted there… so engine supplier would be a no brainer if it was possible.

    does Torro Rosso have a Ferrari Logo on? they should and if FIA would allow it, torro rosso would be called,
    “Scuderia Torro Rosso Powered by Ferrari and if they loose it’s not Maranello’s fault nor Faenza, it’s Mosley’s” look what they did to A1GP event he press have to mention the powered by Ferrari slogan

    1. Prisoner Monkeys
      28th May 2009, 10:55

      Considering that Button’s victory in Monaco marked the first time in Formula One history that one engine had won three races, can you really blame them for praising Mercedes so?

    2. Sush Meerkat
      28th May 2009, 18:17

      “Scuderia Torro Rosso Powered by Ferrari and if they loose it’s not Maranello’s fault nor Faenza, it’s Mosley’s”

      Hahaha, rolls off the tongue doesn’t it. You sir, win an internets.

  16. The Team is still called Brawn-Mercedes… i dont see the need for anything on the car, everyone knows whats underneath.
    I also doubt Mercedes want to make McLaren look so bad, they keep getting lapped by the Brawns and have the same engine…

    1. This is true for most F1 fans, but I think the majority of dare I say it ‘consumers’ who see a picture of the car in the paper or the suchlike would no doubt be slightly more under the Merecedes influence if the logo were on the car.

  17. Yeah, that’s because it’s a Honda. The standard rumour is that there’s been a gentleman’s agreement that neither will take credit for the other’s engineering.

    Which seems daft to me. Put both stickers on the car. “Design by Honda. Powered by Mercedes-Benz”

  18. I think one of the main points is that Mercedes own a significant percentage of Mclaren. If they are seen to favour a customer team, a lot of stock and shareholders are going to wonder why they are paying all this money to part-own a team, when they are not doing as well as customers

    Part of the reason for Manufacturers owning teams is for greater control, hopefully for better results, e.g. BMW.

    This leads on to a bit of a scary idea, at the moment for the Manufacturers there is little return extra for the price of owning a team. All of the customer teams are doing roughly the same if not better than the Manufacturers – how can the manufacturers continue to justify that in the current climate when they could get nearly as much kudos from “just” being an engine supplier?

    So why do FOTA argue to keep the budgets up? because only the manufacturers can afford it. if the budgets come down it actually allows more competition on a more level playing field meaning that the chances of winning are even more reduced, with even more chance of the manufacturer being humbled by the customer – not good PR!

    So if the customers do even better it could mean that the teams the current principles run, and presumably want to keep on running, will make less and less sense as full blown manufacturers. Better to just make the engine surely? Except that is becoming so tightened down and restricted there seems little room to make a name for you yourself there so why bother doing that even?

  19. In this article about Button’s contract Nick Fry says that if Brawn do not receive another penny in sponsorship they are okay for this year, so they are just waiting for the best deal.

    http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/75654

    In an older article I remember Branson saying that he had made an offer to become title sponsor but he would step aside if a better offer came in. Also that because the way Virgin are setup they can make offers like this much quicker than other firms so we could be waiting a while till something is announced.

    If we are reading between the lines into Brawn and co praising Mercedes so much, we have to remember that not only do they think the engine is really good and that the deal which meant Brawn could race was done relatively quickly so they are probably genuinely grateful, but that they don’t have a deal for next year yet.

    Assuming the rules do change permanently so Mercedes can supply more than two teams it is not guaranteed Mercedes will choose Brawn as its third team. After the first few races I recall reading a report saying Red Bull may try to get Mercedes engines for the future, and then you also have all the potential new teams. Some have suggested that the manufacturers will all want to supply USF1 because of the exposure to the American market.

  20. Robert McKay
    28th May 2009, 12:36

    To be honest, I’m equally surprised that Honda haven’t somehow gotten their names back on the car, seeing as they did design it and provide the majority of the funds to allow Brawn to happen in the first place.

  21. Oh My God!!!
    Look at us, we’re feeling sorry for Mercedes!!!

  22. It’s got to be contractual with McLaren, prohibiting other teams from displaying the logo. Or at least causing Mercedes to be inclined not to run the logo on other cars. Force India does not run the logo either. Also, Mercedes has an ownership stake in McLaren.

  23. HounslowBusGarage
    28th May 2009, 17:39

    I’m pretty sure I remember reading somewhere that the Mercedes engine deal for Brawn is for 2010 only. Can anyone corroborate this, and if so, where should Brawn go shopping for next year?

    1. Sush Meerkat
      28th May 2009, 18:23

      I’m pretty sure your right HounslowBusGarage (i’m down the road from there by the way) anyway on topic, it was said at the start of the year, and Norbert Haug stated on the ITV website that putting a Merc sticker on the car would be taking advantage of the strange circumstances Brawn found themselves in.

      In other less verbose words, putting a Merc sticker on the car would seem like they were taking advantage of an at the time disadvantaged team.

      I just wish we still had V10’s :(

  24. HounslowBusGarage
    28th May 2009, 17:40

    Oh for an EDIT button!
    I meant “for 2009 only”

  25. ConcedoNulli
    28th May 2009, 17:56

    The Mercedes engine is by heritage an Ilmor engine, before Merc renamed Ilmor as Mercedes High Performance Engines. Brawn could capitalise on sponsorship by rebadging it as a … Honda. The new Ilmor company designed/build the current Honda Indycar engine. Poetic justice maybe. Or re badge it as Chrysler/Dodge for some US coverage and $.

  26. I can remember seeing a ford badge on the 94 schumacher car, I think I even remember it when he almost did the barrel roll over damon to steal the championship which was rightly Hill’s. Anyways this is about playboy, I imagine you guys get that across the pond. It is a great magazine which sir richard branson is going to buy most likely. It’d be great to see some playboy ears on the Brawn wouldn’t it. Tell Richard the next time you see him.

  27. http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/090526141045.shtml

    Unless I’m reading this wrong, Virgin is giving them 250,000 per race.

  28. I think you hit the nail on the head Keith. Mercedes I believe are trying to keep McLaren quiet as to not agitate an already delicate situation.
    McLaren were expected, with Lewis Hamilton leading the charge, to challenge for the championship. Not only are McLaren and Hamilton floundering, but they are having to watch the Brawn Gp cars with Mercedes powerplants walk away with the title. This can not be easy to watch for McLaren, with a very long relationship with the German mark going all the way back to the 1990’s.
    In all due respect to Force India, I suspect McLaren did not factor them to be too much of a threat. We all thought that Brawn Gp would fit this same mould, and boy have we been caught by surprise.
    From Mercedes point of view, they have been late to get in on the act. For years Ferrari supplied engines to other teams, notably Sauber. Honda, when they were around, powered Eddie Jordan’s cars aswell as their own, and then there is Renault ofcourse.
    Looking at it from that point of view, McLaren have been lucky to have Mercedes sole backing all this years. Now the support is far more diluted.

  29. Has anyone got the suspicion that Brawn opted to paint their car pure white to make their complex front and rear wings less distinguishable? I mean, you can’t see it even if their front wing’s got a hole in it, can you?

  30. More than making Brawn a viable team, I honestly think that without a Mercedes engine it wouldn’t be a race winning car…

  31. I think Brawn evaluating the “big” title sponsor is more smoke and mirrors, similar to all of the buyers Honda had knocking on their door when they skeedadled out the back door.

    In this economic climate if their were a big sponsor willing to pony up 10-20 million in title money Brawn would already have signed them. Even if they win both titles this year, how could the sponsorship be worth more next, if their likelihood of repeating will be diminished?

    NOW is when they are receiving maximum exposure and that Branson guy is getting all the pub for a mere 250K a race?

    Brawn, Williams, Renault will all face the economic piper at season’s end. I only hope there are enough sponsors to go around for the old line teams as well as the new teams to fill out the grid.

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