'Brawn to leave Mercedes' - reports

**vcs316** · 30th October 2013, 07:36

'Brawn to leave Mercedes'

Team principal Ross Brawn will leave Mercedes at the end of the season, according to a report.

The 58-year-old's future at the Brackley squad has been in doubt following the decision to sign Paddy Lowe from McLaren earlier this year.

Although Lowe was given the position of executive director (technical) for this season, many believed that the squad were grooming him to become team principal next year.

Brawn, meanwhile, admitted that the only way he would stay at Mercedes in 2014 is if he remains in charge, but it appears he didn't get his way.

According to BBC Sport, a source close to the team revealed that 'Brawn and Mercedes have failed to reach an agreement on a role in which he would have been happy to stay at the team.

'Mercedes will now be run in tandem by their two executive directors, Toto Wolff and Paddy Lowe, along with non-executive chairman Niki Lauda.'

There have been suggestions that Mercedes wanted to rotate their staff next year as the team believe "a single team principal is an outdated concept", but that clearly was not what Brawn wanted.

"They were hoping to persuade Brawn to stay on in another role that did not involve the day-to-day running of the team," the report adds.

"Negotiations reached an impasse and Brawn decided he had no option but to leave."

Mercedes refused to confirm or deny the report.

http://www.planetf1.com/news/3213/89...er-The-Season-

**Hornet** · 30th October 2013, 09:15

Saw this on twitter:

@MBrundleF1 2h
Speaking with Niki Lauda last night he's determined to keep Ross Brawn at Merc if he can. That will take some doing to change Ross's mind

**Senna4Ever** · 30th October 2013, 09:54

According to a report in german motorsport homepage Eddie Jordan is also joining the "Ross is leaving Merc" Club

**mirafiori** · 30th October 2013, 10:00

I will make a prediction Ross Brawn will not be on the pit wall for Mercedes in Brazil.

**Hermann** · 30th October 2013, 10:18

"a single team principal is an outdated concept"

Is it?

**racingbradley** · 30th October 2013, 11:43

Originally Posted by Hermann

Is it?

I get the impression at Mercedes it's a case of too many want to be in control and it's not a consensus style management.

Ross likes to be the boss and his results speak for themselves.

I guess the old idoem "too many cooks spoil the broth"could be the trouble"
We have seen it at the BBC

**WS6TransAm01** · 30th October 2013, 14:24

Can we get him back? lol

**Nova** · 30th October 2013, 19:44

Merc wants results fast, or they may pull the F1 plug.

And If Ross comes back to Ferrari, I'll eat my hat....well, first I gotta get a hat.

But he aint coming back to Ferrari. I think he may simply retire..he's loaded.
If he does stay? Mac or Williams.

**Rob** · 30th October 2013, 19:47

If/when he leaves Merc, think he would go to Williams.

Would love to have back in the family though, but cannt see it happening.

**Nova** · 30th October 2013, 19:53

Not sure how I feel about it...wouldnt mind if Costa came back though.

**impactX** · 31st October 2013, 14:32

A non-executive chairman who execute orders all the time, how does that work?

**ManFromMilan** · 31st October 2013, 15:24

I just cannot see Merc doing well after Ross leaves and all the boss' wants to do what they want. But that's good for us, so good riddance...

I just hope there is a way that he will consider coming back to Ferrari.

**mirafiori** · 31st October 2013, 15:35

Originally Posted by ManFromMilan

I just cannot see Merc doing well after Ross leaves and all the boss' wants to do what they want. But that's good for us, so good riddance...

I just hope there is a way that he will consider coming back to Ferrari.

Well who knows he may well come back to Ferrari, I would welcome him back, even though I was one of the people who criticized him after secret tyre test

. At least he loves Italy, and he still has a house there, and apparently Italy is a fantastic country for fishing which is his passion.

**leygan** · 31st October 2013, 18:29

That would be a great opportunity to have him leading Ferrari instead of Stefano. Unfortunately, LdM won't go down that path :(

**shamim179** · 31st October 2013, 20:38

It looks like he'll go to McLaren. McLaren-Honda are head hunting him. He has said that he wants to work alongside Alonso so maybe he'll be given the opportunity to do so.

Doubt he'll come back to Ferrari.

**mirafiori** · 31st October 2013, 21:18

Originally Posted by leygan

That would be a great opportunity to have him leading Ferrari instead of Stefano. Unfortunately, LdM won't go down that path :(

To come back to Ferrari does not mean he has to lead, anyway when Ross was at Ferrari before he did not lead.

**racingbradley** · 3rd November 2013, 14:29

Originally Posted by mirafiori

To come back to Ferrari does not mean he has to lead, anyway when Ross was at Ferrari before he did not lead.

True but he has lead since then elsewhere and been very successful.

Brawn GP springs to mind.
I cannot see him taking orders from AN other now

**Poltergeistes** · 4th November 2013, 02:49

if all these rumours are true williams are looking to really up their game and come back to older form, theres talk about massa, smedley, now brawn...

would be interesting to see another season where everythng is up to grabs, with a different winner every race, many teams fighting race by race, because this redbull dominance is getting so boring i cant take it anynore, its making it predictable

**brembo man** · 4th November 2013, 08:20

Who will have the better new turbo engine could make things less predictable also. I just hope it's just a false rumour that Red Billions has Perelli in there back pocket. Tires, tires, I feel like that's all we heard about this season. The right choice per track or "Forget about it!" nothing else seemed to be as important. And to think, Perelli is Italian! Be mad at Berlusconi, not Ferrari!

**watto2** · 4th November 2013, 10:14

As far as the Mercedes team is concerned it appears to be the old situation of an outfit led by an individual works well, a system run by a committee goes nowhere because no one can agree anything!

Good luck in the future Ross and thanks for all the good years!

**FA fan** · 23rd November 2013, 07:10

Stefano Domenicali has said he would have "no problem" stepping aside as Ferrari Team Principal were the team to move to strengthen their management team, amid speculation over Ross Brawn's 2014 plans.

Brawn's position as Mercedes Team Principal beyond the end of the season is currently shrouded in doubt although the Brackley team themselves have publicly stressed that no decision will be taken, or announced, until after this weekend's season-ending Brazilian GP.

Should Brawn leave then his next F1 destination - provided the Briton, who turns 59 on Saturday, opted to continue his career - has proved to be a hot topic of paddock conversation with the former Ferrari and Benetton technical mastermind having already been linked in recent months to roles at Williams, Honda and McLaren.

A return to Ferrari, where he enjoyed a decade of record-breaking title-winning success with Michael Schumacher between 1997 and 2006, has been considered a longer shot but speculation over a return to Maranello has been stirred after Sky Sports F1's cameras caught Brawn leaving a meeting with Domenicali at Ferrari's headquarters in the Brazilian GP paddock on Friday.

Brawn to Ferrari?
Having failed to win the Drivers' Championship since 2007, the season before Domenicali succeeded Jean Todt, and been beaten by Red Bull in the last four years, Ferrari have already taken steps to strengthen their operation for 2014 by hiring Kimi Raikkonen to partner Fernando Alonso and securing highly-regarded former Lotus Technical Director James Allison.

Domenicali's own position has been the centre of rumour in Italy and asked by Sky F1's Ted Kravitz if he would ever accept being moved into an overseeing role at Maranello if the Scuderia found another Team Principal, the Italian replied: "Of course. If I see that is the best solution I will do it even tomorrow, 100 per cent.

"My interest is to make sure that Ferrari will win again because from our side after four years we could have easily been two and two [championships with Red Bull] instead of four-nil, and details made this difference.

"So in a way it's frustrating but in a way it's very motivating because you see that if you put in place the right details then this dream can be back again in our direction.

"Also I have bosses on top of me that may take that decision, it will be no problem because at the end of the day what is the most important thing is that Ferrari has to become once again the standard for Formula 1."

Domenicali was then asked directly if he would be happy to work with Brawn at Maranello again were the Englishman to become available for next year, to which the Italian gave a coy response.
"I cannot answer to that question because I'm sure whatever answer I will give to that you will be reporting that way and there will be a lot of titles on the newspapers," he told Ted.

"I have such a respect for Ross, as a friend first of all, and as a professional that really let's wait and see."

The ambiguity of Domenicali's latter "wait and see" remark prompted immediate intrigue when dissected by Sky Sport's F1's Kravitz and Johnny Herbert on The F1 Show.

Herbert, who worked with Brawn at Benetton in 1994-95, can see why a Brawn/Ferrari reunion would make sense.

"It would fit in perfectly. If Ross was available you'd be foolish not to take him on board because of the wealth of experience he has in winning races and winning championships. That's what Ferrari need," Herbert said.

"Logically you would think that would be something that they would want to do, so why not say 'let's see'?"

**mirafiori** · 23rd November 2013, 07:54

As I have said before Brawn could come back to Ferrari, he loves Italy and the life style it offers, he still has a house in Italy. Personally if he comes back to Ferrari, I would welcome him back even if I was one of the few people to criticize him after the secret cheating tyre test.

**DIEK** · 23rd November 2013, 11:21

The big new report is that Brawn could return to Ferrari, to lead the fabled Italian team that despite having Fernando Alonso at the wheel has failed to win the title in recent years.

Asked on Friday if he is prepared to step into an overseeing role so that someone else might be team boss, Domenicali told Britain’s Sky broadcaster: “Of course.
“If I see that is the best solution I will do it even tomorrow, 100 per cent.
“Also I have bosses on top of me that may take that decision. At the end of the day the most important thing is that Ferrari has to become the standard for Formula 1 once again,” the Italian added.
Asked specifically if he would be happy to work hand-in-hand with Brawn once again, Domenicali said: “I cannot answer that question because whatever answer I give, there will be a lot of titles on the newspapers.
“I have such a respect for Ross, as a friend first of all, and as a professional that, really, let’s wait and see.”

http://grandprix247.com/2013/11/23/d...-wait-and-see/

**Jose-Lorca Fan** · 23rd November 2013, 14:01

Stefano is a good and honest man. However i feel Ross would fit the role better than him.

**Hornet** · 23rd November 2013, 18:04

I don't usually pay much attention to these rumor, but one thing that caught my attention is Stefano saying "let’s wait and see." Is there anything going on to wait for?

**Rob** · 23rd November 2013, 18:09

Originally Posted by Hornet

I don't usually pay much attention to these rumor, but one thing that caught my attention is Stefano saying "let’s wait and see." Is there anything going on to wait for?

who knows

**harry harris** · 24th November 2013, 02:16

Originally Posted by mirafiori

As I have said before Brawn could come back to Ferrari, he loves Italy and the life style it offers, he still has a house in Italy. Personally if he comes back to Ferrari, I would welcome him back even if I was one of the few people to criticize him after the secret cheating tyre test.

**Italian Spirit** · 24th November 2013, 11:45

Originally Posted by brembo man

Who will have the better new turbo engine could make things less predictable also. I just hope it's just a false rumour that Red Billions has Perelli in there back pocket. Tires, tires, I feel like that's all we heard about this season. The right choice per track or "Forget about it!" nothing else seemed to be as important. And to think, Perelli is Italian! Be mad at Berlusconi, not Ferrari!

Isn't that you are the one trying to start the "false rumor" about Red Bull and Pirelli? If not, sources, please!

Additionally:
a) It's "Pirelli", not "Perelli".
b) Pirelli is a multinational company, with also Italians stakeholders.
c) What on earth Berlusconi, or any other italian politician, has to do with it?

I, and I'm sure most of TSN members, appreciate your comments, specially the technical ones. Don't spoil your good reputation.

PS - I'm also fed up with this "Tyres story". Blame whoever wanted "more action, more show" (read my lips...

)