Ross Brawn to leave Mercedes

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by garcon

Indeed.

I'm not sure I can see him going to a supplier. He's a winner, he feeds on the direct team involvement. (And bananas).

So is that the real reason he's leaving Mercedes, they won't give him anymore bananas... just asking?

[grantp]

Originally Posted by MGDavid

does Ross know about boats then?

I thought boats were what you did outside racing after F1 more often than not?

What would he need to know that could not be picked up quickly in a team building role?

But then I was only putting two and two together ... and of course boats could be a smokescreen.

[Paradise City]

I don't think he's too comfortable there since Mercedes became Mercedes and their form flagged. Mercedes' progress hasn't been as rapid as the Mercedes bosses would've liked, there was rumbling of Mercedes wanting diversify the ownership and take a backseat financially, there's too many bigshots at the top and Brawn himself might not quite have adjusted to the era of light testing as perhaps a guy like Newey has. Brawn was always at his best when testing was intensive and development was endless. And there is the fact the man is getting older.

All these are factors I would speculate are playing a role here. It's not surprising.

[garcon]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

So is that the real reason he's leaving Mercedes, they won't give him anymore bananas... just asking?

He wanted exclusive access to the banana tree.

Possibly.

[F1Pete]

Here's a good rumour...Ross Brawn to replace Domenicali at Ferrari! Of course I just made that up, but...can it be made a possibility?

[Moneyseeker]

I think it will be Williams for RB, I can't see him fitting into McLaren's structure.

[m1fcf]

I wonder what this means for Hamilton? Didn't he state RB as a reason for his move to Mercedes?

I wonder what his relationship with Lowe is like/ was like from the McLaren days?

[stripedcat]

Originally Posted by m1fcf

I wonder what this means for Hamilton? Didn't he state RB as a reason for his move to Mercedes?

I wonder what his relationship with Lowe is like/ was like from the McLaren days?

Yeah, that is rather worrying for Hamilton. One of the reasons that he went to Mercedes was because of Brawn. I think that in Lewis' mind, he sorted of wanted to mold the team around him and have the sort of relationship with Brawn that Schumi had back at Benetton and Ferrari. It must also impact on Lewis' expectations of winning more WDCs.

Mercedes did seem a bit top heavy with their management. Having Lauda, Wolff and Brawn there made it quite crowded.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by m1fcf

I wonder what this means for Hamilton? Didn't he state RB as a reason for his move to Mercedes?

I wonder what his relationship with Lowe is like/ was like from the McLaren days?

Good question, Newey apparently was not one of Hamilton's fans, so it would be interesting to know how he gets on with Lowe!

[S14]

Originally Posted by garcon

I can't see him going to Williams, for that very reason.

Here's a thought. If I were Sir Ron of Dennis, I'd bury old rivalries, ditch Whitmarsh and make Brawn an offer he can't refuse - absolute control of the F1 operation.

Why would he go to McLaren if he has qualms regarding working with Honda?

Originally Posted by grantp

I thought boats were what you did outside racing after F1 more often than not?

What would he need to know that could not be picked up quickly in a team building role?

But then I was only putting two and two together ... and of course boats could be a smokescreen.

I think the boats are more because of Newey's professed interest in the America's Cup and their recent AC72 wing-sail foiling catamarans, than any interest on Brawn's part.

[GTRMagic]

The idea of Mr Brawn @ WGPE is a good one... can he get there in time to make sure next year's car isnt a total POS like this year's one seems to be?

Some sponsors might be nice too please...

[jsTrecu]

Williams would be nice, someone needs to go there and try to improve the situation.
Not sure if they have the budget/sponsors to be competitive on the long term, now that Pastor is leaving.

It's strange that no media is linking him to Ferrari...

[Paradise City]

I see him leaving F1 guys or arranging for a consultancy position with Williams something of that order. He's put his best years into the sport.

I think McLaren are pros though, any angst, they'll put it aside to get the job done. There's nothing in principle to prevent him working for them except possibly that Brawn purportedly had grown frustrated with Honda management.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

I see him leaving F1 guys or arranging for a consultancy position with Williams something of that order. He's put his best years into the sport.

I think McLaren are pros though, any angst, they'll put it aside to get the job done. There's nothing in principle to prevent him working for them except possibly that Brawn purportedly had grown frustrated with Honda management.

The issue is also likely that as Mr Brawn ran his own team, in his own way for the year of the championship win, and the first part of the Mercedes reemergence... being his own boss is likely to be appealing...

... would a role with such wide responsibility & scope fit well at McLaren? I bet Williams would be a better fit...

[GTRMagic]

I know you cant always believe the Mirror but... Brawn to Retire?

Wonder if he might take a gig at Caterham?

[Richard C]

Leave F1 and do top level prototype/endurance racing?

Richard

[Paradise City]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

Leave F1 and do top level prototype/endurance racing?

Richard

Or design furniture like John Barnard.

There's a whole world of opportunity outside of motorsports for a man such as Brawn.

Personally, whilst obviously in demand, he doesn't quite fit anywhere in motorsports from his own pov. Anything full time on offer in the motorsports world would be a demotion.

[VIVA GT]

Why shouldn't the guy just retire? He's had a full-on career in F1, ended up being a World Championship winning Team owner and doesn't appear to have made himself any enemies in the sport along the way (and that's not something you can say about averyone in his position!). His personal fortune has increased significantly since selling 'his' team to Mercedes which should see him very comfortable in retirement.
I'm about the same age as Ross and would dearly love to chuck it all in and retire while I can enjoy it, but unfortunately I don't have the financial buffer that he has, so expect to be scraping a living until (or if) I reach the age of 66 when I'm now told my state pension will start!

[bjohnsonsmith]

Niki Lauda says no decision has been made, regarding Ross Brawn.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/110978

[b1ackcr0w]

Maybe he'll run for FIA President? In fact, the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. He'd be the ultimate poacher turned gamekeeper.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

Why shouldn't the guy just retire?

certainly its one of his two options. i hope its not the case though as F1 would be all the worse for not having him. same with Newey as well. these two guys have been in one way or another involved with almost every championship winning car over the past 20 years. its mind boggling for me to think that F1 would be better or yield better competition without two of its best being involved.

i sort of think there is room for him at Williams though as they need someone to sit on the pit wall and be the public face of the team. SFW is scaling back, his daughter while no doubt capable has served her apprenticeship during some very unsuccessful years so is still unproven, and while this may be harsh but is Pat Symonds the guy you want as the public face of your company?

for me i would like to see him not only go to Williams but to get some ownership there as well. if he still has shares left in the Merc team maybe there is a deal to be done via an exchange with Wolff's Williams shares.

[JeremySmith]

Ross Brawn is not the problem at Mercedes, the problem is that the team at RedBull are just phenomenal at designing race cars that on the very edge..

I would love to see him go to Williams and that is not because I don't think that Pat Symonds cant get the job done, he is brilliant...

I think he will retire, but I am guessing aren't I...

[wnut]

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

Ross Brawn is not the problem at Mercedes, the problem is that the team at RedBull are just phenomenal at designing race cars that on the very edge..

I would love to see him go to Williams and that is not because I don't think that Pat Symonds cant get the job done, he is brilliant...

I think he will retire, but I am guessing aren't I...

Retire, to do what? Just become irrelevant?

Most of these guys are lucky enough to love what they do!

[JeremySmith]

Because he can, that's a good enough reason is it not..

Retiring does not mean rotting away does it...

[Paradise City]

There's various challenges outside of F1. Space travel being the most audacious.

Brawn has lived through an era where they've curbed innovation too. F1 isn't the challenge it once was for a designer.

He could also just have a year off. Or spend a year being a part-time consultant and then get back in the race.