Brawn GP becomes Mercedes-Benz GP

Mercedes-Benz will become an independent constructor in Formula One for the first time since 1955 next season, after purchasing a controlling 75.1% share of the championship-winning Brawn GP team. The agreement was finalised on Friday and confirmed to the media today, and will see the team rebranded Mercedes Grand Prix, with its cars being run with the marque’s distinctive silver livery.

“Mercedes-Benz is the most valued and best-known premium automotive brand in the world. This brand looks for competition of the utmost quality in all relevant fields in order to continually improve its performance in the face of such new challenges”, explained Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

Mc Laren gets suspended three-race ban

At an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council held in Paris on 29 April 2009, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes admitted five charges of breaching article 151c of the International Sporting Code relating to events at the Australian and Malaysian Grands Prix. The following decision was taken:

“Having regard to the open and honest way in which McLaren Team Principal, Mr Martin Whitmarsh, addressed the WMSC and the change in culture which he made clear has taken place in his organisation, the WMSC decided to suspend the application of the penalty it deems appropriate.

“That penalty is a suspension of the team from three races of the FIA Formula One World Championship. This will only be applied if further facts emerge regarding the case or if, in the next 12 months, there is a further breach by the team of article 151c of the International Sporting Code.”