The Honda Racing F1 Team has been sold for Ross Brawn and will now be called 'Brawn GP' it was confirmed officially on Friday.

A statement said the team's new owner is Ross Brawn, also Team Principal of the Brackley-based outfit, whose BGP001 single seater will be powered by a customer Mercedes-Benz engine.

Brawn also confirmed 2008 Honda drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello as its continuing drivers.

"It is a great shame that having worked with Honda Motor Company for so long we can no longer continue together," Brawn, who was Ferrari's highly successful Technical Director from 1996 to 2006 before taking a sabbatical in 2007, said. "The journey ahead will be challenging but exciting."

Brawn GP said it will test the BGP001 at Barcelona next week, with both drivers in attendance, and subsequently at Jerez prior to travelling to Australia for the first race.

Full Honda statement

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has announced the sale of the Honda Racing F1 Team (HRF1) to Ross Brawn, the former Team Principal of Honda Racing F1 Team.

The entire shares of the HRF1, held by Honda GP Holdings Ltd. , the UK-based holding company for HRF1 that managed all operations of Honda’s Formula One racing, were sold to Ross Brawn. As a result of this sale, the team ownership has transferred to Mr. Brawn, who plans to have the new team compete for this year’s FIA Formula One World Championship.

Hiroshi Oshima, Managing Officer of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. responsible for Corporate Communications and Motor Sports
“Since announcing our withdrawal from Formula One racing on December 5 of last year, we have conducted various studies and discussions so that the team can continue its activities as a new team. We are very pleased that we could sell the team to Ross Brawn, with whom we have been partaking in the challenges of F1 competition, and are grateful for his decision. We offer our sincerest wishes for the new team which will be led by Ross.”

E.A, Source: GMM
© CAPSIS International

OH AND FYI 20 DAYS TILL MELBOURNE

 

Honda Motor Company Limited and Ross Brawn are pleased to confirm that they have reached agreement to secure the future of the former Honda Racing F1 Team.

With immediate effect, Honda will pass ownership to Ross Brawn, Team Principal of the new Brawn GP Formula One Team.

Brawn GP has agreed a partnership with Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines, Brixworth, UK to supply the team with its 2.4 litre Mercedes-Benz FO108W Formula One engines.

The team can confirm that its race driver line-up for the 2009 season will combine the talents of two of Formula One's most experienced drivers in Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello.

The race winning drivers continue their partnership at the team for a fourth consecutive year, forming the most experienced driver partnership on the grid with 423 Grand Prix starts between the pair.

Brawn GP will now focus its efforts on the remaining pre-season tests, in Barcelona (9-12 March) and Jerez (15-17 March) prior to heading to Melbourne, Australia for the start of the 2009 Formula One season.

Ross Brawn, Brawn GP Team Principal
"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."

"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."

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

"It would be impossible to mention all of the people without whom today's announcement may not have been possible, however I would like to express particular appreciation for the support we have received from Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, the FIA (Fédération Internationale de L'Automobile), FOM (Formula One Management), FOTA (Formula One Teams Association), BERR (the UK's Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform), Bridgestone, our other team partners and our many fans the world over. The journey ahead will be challenging but exciting and we know we can count on their continued enthusiasm for our team and its ambitions."

E.A. © CAPSIS International

 

Nice! It'll be great to see these guys on the grid in just a few short weeks!

 

Very cool.

 

Great news for the sport, and if anyone can make them competitive, it's Brawn. Particularly with (presumably) his own money on the line.

 

pretty interesting developments, let's see if brawn's ego can be matched by his team. happy to see them remain on the grid nonetheless.

 

They might actually have the best looking car on the grid now!

 

Hmmmm.....I wonder if I should think about making some changes to my F1 team......