Brawn GP becomes Mercedes-Benz GP

**overdrayv** · November 24th, 2009 06:33 AM

Rosberg to race for Mercedes in 2010

Nico Rosberg was confirmed as the first member of the new Mercedes team’s 2010 driver line-up on Monday. The announcement follows Mercedes’ recent purchase of Brawn GP, who have not retained either of their 2009 drivers - world champion Jenson Button or Rubens Barrichello - for next season.

Rosberg moves from Williams, the team with which he started his Formula One race career in 2006, having won the inaugural GP2 championship the previous season. Since his F1 debut the 24-year-old German has scored two podiums, two fastest laps and 75.5 points. Barrichello has already been confirmed as his Williams replacement.

“I am really happy to be a part of the Silver Arrows re-launch in 2010 as a driver for Mercedes," said Rosberg, whose father Keke was world champion in 1982. "No other brand in Formula One can look back on such a long and successful tradition in motor racing.

"I am very proud that I will now drive for the new Mercedes team and work with Ross Brawn. I am more motivated than ever and can hardly wait to start testing with the new Silver Arrow and for the first race of the new season at Bahrain on 14 March 2010.”

Commenting on the signing, team principal Ross Brawn said: “We are delighted to welcome Nico Rosberg to our Mercedes team and are very much looking forward to working with him. Nico is a great talent, and with four years of experience in Formula One, is a driver who will be able to make a valuable contribution to our team right from the outset.

"I had the pleasure of working with his father Keke during his Formula One career and it is great to see Nico following in his footsteps. 2009 was Nico’s best season in Formula One to date and we look forward to seeing his development continue with us at Mercedes next year.”

Norbert Haug, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, added: “I saw Nico racing karts alongside Lewis Hamilton and later in the support programme of the DTM events - I have known him since he was a young boy. Early on it was obvious that he would make his way as a race driver and we are glad that after four years with Williams he will now be one of our drivers at Mercedes.

"It makes our re-start even nicer, that we have as talented and sympathetic a driver as Nico in our line-up. Nico has positive ambitions, we have positive ambitions and together we want to achieve a great deal. I am really looking forward to working with him.”

Mercedes have yet to reveal who will partner Rosberg for the German company's first season as a works team since 1955.

Formula1.com

**Monseratto** · November 24th, 2009 12:40 PM

Yung magiging partner ni Nico ang talk of the town....

So Who Will Partner Rosberg?

It's an open secret in F1 that Nico Rosberg will be driving for Brawn-Mercedes next season. But who will be in their second seat after Jenson Button's defection to McLaren? PF1 considers the contenders...

Contender One: Kimi Raikkonen
Having let his manager do all his talking since October, Raikkonen broke his silence on Friday to confirm his intention to drop out of the sport. "I have decided to take a one-year sabbatical," he told Formula1.com.

So much for the reports that he had opened negotiations with Mercedes. "I have not held talks with Brawn. I feel they will run two German drivers next year now that Mercedes are involved," Raikkonen clarified.

There is still scope for manoeuvre and it remains possible that Mercedes, faced with the prospect of a 2010 driver line-up inferior to that boasted by at least three of their rivals, will approach the Finn and try to entice him into a u-turn. Kimi says the "door remains open" but Mercedes-Brawn will need to persuade him that they can supply a title-winning car for next season. Jenson Button, for one, seems unconvinced they can...
Rating: Possible. There's still hope but it is fading.

Contender Two: Michael Schumacher
Seriously? Schumi's return to the sport would be a sensation but there are plenty of reasons to be remain skeptical. Schumacher has a binding contract with Ferrari, was prevented from returning even on a short-term basis just four months ago because of a severe neck injury, and has plenty to lose and little to gain from returning to a sport he once dominated.

Though his appeal to Mercedes is obvious, there are a couple of substantial downsides to consider. Firstly, they would need to break the bank to lure him out of retirement. Secondly, Schumi's return would be too much of a good thing: rather than heighten Mercedes' profile, he'd command such attention that Mercedes GP would be in danger of looking like Team Schumacher. The story would be his and his alone, whereas any victories won by Nick Heidfeld and Nico Rosberg would be credited as victories for Mercedes...
Rating: It is as remote as it would be fantastic.

Contender Three: Nick Heidfeld
As stated above, Heidfeld's low-profile may actually be an attraction to the Mercedes bosses. He also has the advantage of being available, relatively cheap and reliable. Heidfeld may not be a superstar but, for two seasons at BMW, he held his own against Robert Kubica who supposedly is. He's a credible choice regardless of his nationality - and that too must be in his favour regardless of Mercedes' protestations that they want to be seen as an international outfit.
Rating: Still the running favourite.

Contender Four: Robert Kubica
If Renault were intent on exiting the sport, a departure that would result in Kubica becoming a free agent just three months after he joined the team, then they would have probably announced it by now. However, it may be the case that the Renault team will be reinvented in a different guise - hence the delay in their plans being revealed - in which case Kubica would most probably be free to re-negotiate (Jenson Button, for instance, became a free agent last December when Honda morphed into Brawn despite having signed a three-year deal with the team a few weeks beforehand). Mercedes or a downgraded Renault? A no-brainer really.
Rating: A viable outside shot

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,1895...706399,00.html

**CVT** · November 25th, 2009 08:42 AM

Then how about SV?....

8900:painting:

**overdrayv** · November 25th, 2009 09:05 AM

^ SV extended his contract with Red Bull Racing.

Vettel pens new Red Bull contract

Sebastian Vettel is to stay with Red Bull for at least another two years after negotiating a new contract.

The 22-year-old, third in this year's world championship with seven races to go, has signed a new deal until the end of 2011, with an option for 2012.

He will again partner Mark Webber at Red Bull next year after the Australian extended his contract last month.

news.bbc.co.uk