Giuseppe F1
9th September 2009, 22:26
I can now strongly see Mercedes doing exactly this.....simply letting their exclusive works agreement with McLaren lapse after 2012 and in the meantime slowly getting into bed with Brawn, with their Abu Dhabi affiliates holding the stock in the meantime, before a full Mercedes switch over by 2012 with a hefty 75% Merc ownership (Currently Merc/McLaren ownership only at 40%).
As we all know, all car manufacturers are relooking at their involvement in the sport - Brawn, even with their recent success, their shares are likely MUCH cheaper than McLarens.
A gradual phasing of a Silver McLaren effort to a Silver Brawn effort would allow Mercedes to remain in a competitive F1 position, with Ross Brawn as a huge assest, and still at a likley lower cost than being on board with McLaren and for more equity.
This has all the hallmarks of the BMW.Williams/BMW Sauber switch over to me....partnering with a historically successful competitove British team, with success, before looking to a smaller team to in effect 'buy out' to allow yourself a bigger involvement in its running and development, whilst maintaining an almost seamless shift of owing a lot of branding of the car you are partnering (i.e. a Silver for Mercedes or how BMW always insisted on BUYING the livery of the car so that all sponsors had to fall in line with a BMW colour scheme so that the main presence regardless of sponsors still strongly conveyed BMW)
What was interesting in the BMW case, Williams and Sauber, is that the BMW connection was stringly mooted as a key attraction to sponsors....being associated with a global brand which represents technology, innovation, precision etc etc and HP/Compaq, Allianz, Reuters, Intel, Dell, Budweiser etc were all invariably attracted to the respective Williams/Sauber teams at the time by this BMW involvement....
.....how much are McLarens sponsors currently attracted for the same reason, because of Mercedes involvement and the brand transfer their partnership affords with the values of Mercedes? How important is this to Mobil1.....Johnnie Walker.....Vodafone?
Will they start to defect?
Do Merecedes want more involvement on the commercial running of the team and/or driver selection than they enjoy at McLaren - Is this why news of a German title sponsor for Brawn in 2010 and German Rosberg (a Mercedes favourite) in that seat all sounds so plausible....and good sense?
Where will Lewis Hamiltons loyalty lie if he is courted by both an independent McLaren team and a new Mercedes works team??
This will be interesting to watch - very interesting IMO.
Will we really see a Silver McLaren and a Silver Brawn in 2010 head-to-head?! Would be fascinating to watch! :)
================================================== ======
http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/090909203624.shtml
Abu Dhabi linked with Mercedes-Brawn buyout
Mercedes-Brawn reports gathering momentum
The signs are growing that McLaren and Mercedes-Benz are headed for different futures in Formula One.
The companies had already parted in terms of their joint road sports car programmes, and reports have intensified throughout this week that a similar split is looming in terms of their 15-year F1 collaboration.
On Wednesday, Auto Motor und Sport claimed that McLaren is getting in the way of Mercedes' plans for next season by currently vetoing the intended engine supply deal with Red Bull Racing.
The tension on this front is almost certainly also linked with yet another team, as both the German language Blick and Auto Motor und Sport publications report that Brackley-based Brawn GP is set to be 75% owned by Mercedes by 2012.
McLaren has a contract for exclusive works rights until the end of 2011, so until Mercedes can buy Brawn itself, the Daimler AG shareholder AABAR of Abu Dhabi could hold the stake, Auto Motor und Sport said on Thursday.
"If we wanted to change anything with our Formula One commitment then we could certainly speak with Abu Dhabi," Mercedes parent Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche is quoted as saying.
Auto Motor und Sport said contracts with Brawn GP are to be signed shortly, with a deal to include a silver livery from 2010 and the Mercedes logo on the engine cover.
Brawn's new title sponsor is said to be a German company, and 24-year-old German Nico Rosberg is the favourite to become Jenson Button's 2010 team-mate, the report added.
E.A. © CAPSIS International
Source: GMM
As we all know, all car manufacturers are relooking at their involvement in the sport - Brawn, even with their recent success, their shares are likely MUCH cheaper than McLarens.
A gradual phasing of a Silver McLaren effort to a Silver Brawn effort would allow Mercedes to remain in a competitive F1 position, with Ross Brawn as a huge assest, and still at a likley lower cost than being on board with McLaren and for more equity.
This has all the hallmarks of the BMW.Williams/BMW Sauber switch over to me....partnering with a historically successful competitove British team, with success, before looking to a smaller team to in effect 'buy out' to allow yourself a bigger involvement in its running and development, whilst maintaining an almost seamless shift of owing a lot of branding of the car you are partnering (i.e. a Silver for Mercedes or how BMW always insisted on BUYING the livery of the car so that all sponsors had to fall in line with a BMW colour scheme so that the main presence regardless of sponsors still strongly conveyed BMW)
What was interesting in the BMW case, Williams and Sauber, is that the BMW connection was stringly mooted as a key attraction to sponsors....being associated with a global brand which represents technology, innovation, precision etc etc and HP/Compaq, Allianz, Reuters, Intel, Dell, Budweiser etc were all invariably attracted to the respective Williams/Sauber teams at the time by this BMW involvement....
.....how much are McLarens sponsors currently attracted for the same reason, because of Mercedes involvement and the brand transfer their partnership affords with the values of Mercedes? How important is this to Mobil1.....Johnnie Walker.....Vodafone?
Will they start to defect?
Do Merecedes want more involvement on the commercial running of the team and/or driver selection than they enjoy at McLaren - Is this why news of a German title sponsor for Brawn in 2010 and German Rosberg (a Mercedes favourite) in that seat all sounds so plausible....and good sense?
Where will Lewis Hamiltons loyalty lie if he is courted by both an independent McLaren team and a new Mercedes works team??
This will be interesting to watch - very interesting IMO.
Will we really see a Silver McLaren and a Silver Brawn in 2010 head-to-head?! Would be fascinating to watch! :)
================================================== ======
http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/090909203624.shtml
Abu Dhabi linked with Mercedes-Brawn buyout
Mercedes-Brawn reports gathering momentum
The signs are growing that McLaren and Mercedes-Benz are headed for different futures in Formula One.
The companies had already parted in terms of their joint road sports car programmes, and reports have intensified throughout this week that a similar split is looming in terms of their 15-year F1 collaboration.
On Wednesday, Auto Motor und Sport claimed that McLaren is getting in the way of Mercedes' plans for next season by currently vetoing the intended engine supply deal with Red Bull Racing.
The tension on this front is almost certainly also linked with yet another team, as both the German language Blick and Auto Motor und Sport publications report that Brackley-based Brawn GP is set to be 75% owned by Mercedes by 2012.
McLaren has a contract for exclusive works rights until the end of 2011, so until Mercedes can buy Brawn itself, the Daimler AG shareholder AABAR of Abu Dhabi could hold the stake, Auto Motor und Sport said on Thursday.
"If we wanted to change anything with our Formula One commitment then we could certainly speak with Abu Dhabi," Mercedes parent Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche is quoted as saying.
Auto Motor und Sport said contracts with Brawn GP are to be signed shortly, with a deal to include a silver livery from 2010 and the Mercedes logo on the engine cover.
Brawn's new title sponsor is said to be a German company, and 24-year-old German Nico Rosberg is the favourite to become Jenson Button's 2010 team-mate, the report added.
E.A. © CAPSIS International
Source: GMM