It seems the rumour-mongering was true: German manufacturer Mercedes has just announced that it has bought a controlling stake in the Brawn GP squad.
Which means that, from next year, Brawn GP becomes Mercedes GP.
Merc and an Abu Dhabi investment company are believed to have bought 75 per cent of the Brawn team, though Ross Brawn is expected to stay on as team principal.
Perhaps strangely, it looks like Merc will not retain incoming World Champion Jenson Button, and will instead employ the services of Nico
Rosberg… and possibly fellow German Nick Heidfeld.
Button, who has been requesting a larger salary from 2010, is expected to partner Lewis Hamilton at McLaren, who themselves be buying back the 40 per cent shareholding from Mercedes by 2011.
Merc will still be supplying McLaren with free engines for the next six years, an arrangement that seems to suit both parties.
Is anyone else a bit sad to have only seen Brawn GP in F1 for one season?
Then again, Ross ‘the Boss’ Brawn has always said it was a waste of advertising potential to have his name on the cars.
Fonte Top Gear