Ex-Honda team 'seal F1 survival'

Ex-Honda team 'seal F1 survival'

Postby Cheese » Thu Mar 05, 2009 3:14 pm

The former Honda team have been saved and will race in Formula One in 2009, according to chief executive Nick Fry.

Honda pulled out of F1 in December as a result of the global financial crisis, leaving the British-based outfit to search desperately for a buyer.

But Fry said the team had survived thanks to recent cost reductions in F1.

"All the teams and their support have helped us preserve our team. So I, [team principal] Ross [Brawn] and our 700 employees thank them," he said.

Fry would reveal no further details - including how the team would be funded or what it would be called - saying only that there would be more news "very soon".

A source told BBC Sport that the team would probably be called Brawn Racing, and that the car would test for the first time at Silverstone on Friday - but that has not yet been officially confirmed.

He was speaking after a meeting of the F1 teams' association Fota, which announced on Thursday its proposals for the future of F1.

"Our team will benefit from Fota," said Fry, who attended the meeting with Brawn.

"The cost reductions will help us over the next two to three years. But equally important is the support we've received from the other teams."

It is unclear who the new owners would be or what the team will be called but speculation has focused on a buy-out led by the current management of Fry and Brawn.

BBC Sport has learned that Englishman Jenson Button will be one of the drivers.

The second seat is between Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello and his fellow countryman and F1 novice Bruno Senna, the nephew of three-time world champion Ayrton Senna.

There have been widespread reports this week that Barrichello has won the drive, but a source close to Senna told BBC Sport that his management was still in negotiations with the team.

The car will be fitted with a Mercedes engine.

Even if the team make it to the final pre-season test in Barcelona in mid-March, they still face an uphill struggle to be competitive at the start of the season.

At the time of Honda's withdrawal, Brawn expressed his belief that the car could run in the top three in 2009, despite the team's poor form in the last two years.

But the recent uncertainty will have affected development effort and they have lost running time to their rivals, most of whom have completed at least two full four-day tests already.

© BBC Sport | Motorsport
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Re: Ex-Honda team 'seal F1 survival'

Postby damo1583 » Thu Mar 05, 2009 3:16 pm

Brilliant news..............Ross Brawn is an absolute genius!
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Re: Ex-Honda team 'seal F1 survival'

Postby djaxster » Thu Mar 05, 2009 3:18 pm

whats with the rumours richard Branson was getting a team together or that he was going to buy Honda?
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Re: Ex-Honda team 'seal F1 survival'

Postby Cheese » Thu Mar 05, 2009 3:20 pm

Brawn Racing? What ever they are called it's good to see that they have survived and will continue to race. The more teams the better.

Good to see Jenson Button has the first drive but i wonder if they will go with the experiance of Rubens Barrichello or novice Bruno Senna? As much as i want to see Rubens have a race seat, i really really want to see Bruno Senna, who is an unpredictable driver but should be fun to watch in the right car.

You must be pleased, Reverend Gooner?
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Re: Ex-Honda team 'seal F1 survival'

Postby Cheese » Thu Mar 05, 2009 3:22 pm

djaxster wrote:whats with the rumours richard Branson was getting a team together or that he was going to buy Honda?

There was talk of Branson buying the Honda team but i don't think it went any futher.
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It's official: Brawn GP has bought Honda

Postby Cheese » Fri Mar 06, 2009 1:32 pm

The future of the former Honda Formula One team has been secured after the Japanese manufacturer agreed to pass ownership of the operation to Ross Brawn, who becomes team principal of the new Brawn GP outfit.

The deal secures the future of British driver Jenson Button, who has been confirmed at the team alongside veteran Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, who saw off the challenge of compatriot Bruno Senna for the second seat.

Brawn GP has agreed a deal with Mercedes for a supply of engines in the 2009 F1 season, which gets under way in Australia on March 29.

The future of the Brackley-based outfit had been up in the air since early December when Honda confirmed they were ending their involvement in F1 due to the global economic downturn.

Today's management buyout secures the jobs of hundreds of staff at the team's Northamptonshire headquarters, and Brawn admitted the agreement has brought an end to a difficult period of negotiations.

"The past few months have been extremely challenging for the team but today's announcement is the very pleasing conclusion to the strenuous efforts that have been made to secure its future," said Brawn.

"Firstly, it is a great shame that having worked with Honda Motor Company for so long we can no longer continue together.

"I would like to thank Honda for the fantastic co-operation and support we have received throughout this process - particularly those members of the senior management who were closely involved with concluding our agreement - and for the faith they have demonstrated in myself and our team.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to pay due credit to our staff at Brackley. The levels of motivation and commitment that I have witnessed at the factory deserve the highest praise."

Brawn, who served as Ferrari's technical director for a decade before moving to Honda at the start of last season, added that he was happy to see the partnership of Button and Barrichello continue for another season.

"I am delighted that Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello will form our race driver line-up for the 2009 season," he said.

"The vast experience and knowledge that both drivers bring to our team will prove invaluable as we aim to get up to speed in the shortest possible time to be ready for the first race of the season in Melbourne on 29 March.

"In what will be their fourth season together, their experience with our team in Brackley, our systems and our engineers, will prove a real asset."

© PlanetF1
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Re: Ex-Honda team 'seal F1 survival'

Postby Cheese » Fri Mar 06, 2009 1:34 pm

So Brawn Racing will have Jenson and Rubens in their seats...
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Re: Ex-Honda team 'seal F1 survival'

Postby gzagee » Fri Mar 06, 2009 1:38 pm

If Brawn Racing achieve half the success Ross had at Ferrari then they're in for a good time.
Hope they can stay in operation.
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Re: Ex-Honda team 'seal F1 survival'

Postby Cheese » Fri Mar 13, 2009 9:19 am

Brawn GP set stunning test pace

Brawn GP completed a remarkable week by setting a stunning pace on the last day of testing in Barcelona on Thursday.

While world champion Lewis Hamilton struggled again in the McLaren, veteran Brazilian Rubens Barrichello was over a second quicker than the field.

Hamilton was almost two seconds and five kilometres an hour down on Barrichello, completing just 70 laps.

It is only seven days since the former Honda team confirmed it would be on the grid for the new season.

But their performances at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya have been impressive, with Jenson Button going over a second quicker than his rivals on Wednesday.
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Re: Ex-Honda team 'seal F1 survival'

Postby damo1583 » Sat Mar 14, 2009 10:28 am

I dont usually follow teams in F1, I reserve my loyalty to drivers, but Brawn GP have captured my attention and as the new bonafide British team i will be supporting them and Jenson for the upcoming season...............and yes Ryan there will be a sig, as soon as i can get pics of the full liveried cars..........
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Re: Ex-Honda team 'seal F1 survival'

Postby Cheese » Sat Mar 28, 2009 6:01 am

Brawn GP announces partnership with Virgin

Brawn GP confirmed on Saturday that the team has agreed a partnership agreement with Sir Richard Branson and the Virgin Group on the team's debut race weekend at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

The partnership brings together the world championship winning experience of Ross Brawn and the technical expertise of the Brawn GP team with the marketing and business skills of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group.

This is Virgin's first foray into the world of Formula One and the first step in what is anticipated to be a broader relationship between the two.

The Brawn GP team's BGP 001 car will take to the track at Albert Park later this afternoon in qualifying for tomorrow's Australian Grand Prix featuring Virgin branding.

Ross Brawn, Team Principal of Brawn GP commented; "On behalf of the Brawn GP team, we are delighted to have signed a partnership agreement with Sir Richard and Virgin in Melbourne today. An exciting debut race weekend for our team has become even more important as we have secured our second commercial agreement of the season. We look forward to working closely with the Virgin Group and sharing our on-track successes."

Sir Richard Branson said; "I have always said I would love for Virgin to be involved in Formula One and I am thrilled that we will be entering this fantastic sport with people as skilled as Ross Brawn and the Brawn GP team. Over the years Virgin has had the great honour of partnering with technical geniuses and I truly believe that Ross Brawn is to F1 what Burt Ratan is to space travel with Virgin Galactic. We are confident that the Virgin BGP 001 car driven by Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello will go from strength to strength this season and we look forward to a great future working with the Brawn GP team."

© Formula1.com
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Re: Ex-Honda team 'seal F1 survival'

Postby meridamullet » Sat Mar 28, 2009 6:03 am

Did you see Branson marching round the pit area with his headset and what not, looked like he was running the team!
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Re: Ex-Honda team 'seal F1 survival'

Postby Gunner Down Under » Sat Mar 28, 2009 6:10 am

They'll need all the help they can get, Honda.
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Re: Ex-Honda team 'seal F1 survival'

Postby Cheese » Sat Mar 28, 2009 6:16 am

As long as they don't change then name for that twonk.
It needs to stay as BrawnGP. :)
I hated it when McLaren Mercedes changed to Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.
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Re: Ex-Honda team 'seal F1 survival'

Postby meridamullet » Sat Mar 28, 2009 6:17 am

I've always hated McLaren too, that might be why i don't like Hamilton
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