Days after selling his team to the Mercedes group, Ross Brawn admitted he had been temped to try to repeat Brawn GP’s success in 2010.
But what he really wanted was to ensure a future to this team that came close to not racing in 2009.
"At some stage as a team owner you have to pass it on," Brawn said. "I'm almost 55 and I'm not planning to do a Bernie Ecclestone.
"It was tempting to try to repeat this year's success under the Brawn name but it would have been an awful risk. We were already working with their engine group and all the stars aligned. It was an opportunity to give the team a very strong future,” Brawn said to autosport.
Brawn will always keep in mind this incredible season where his team, under his name, won both championships despite Honda's unexpected retirement.
The director did not plan to take over the team at first, but it soon became clear that it was the team’s only option for 2009.
His decision to give Brawn GP a chance finally paid big times, allowing him to leave after a great season and not after the worst season of its 15 years of career, like it would have been a year ago.
Mercedes will now take over a successful team after a successful year – although the end of the season was much more difficult than the beginning. Brawn ensures he will not regret his decision to sell, even if the team continues to win.
But what he really wanted was to ensure a future to this team that came close to not racing in 2009.
"At some stage as a team owner you have to pass it on," Brawn said. "I'm almost 55 and I'm not planning to do a Bernie Ecclestone.
"It was tempting to try to repeat this year's success under the Brawn name but it would have been an awful risk. We were already working with their engine group and all the stars aligned. It was an opportunity to give the team a very strong future,” Brawn said to autosport.
Brawn will always keep in mind this incredible season where his team, under his name, won both championships despite Honda's unexpected retirement.
The director did not plan to take over the team at first, but it soon became clear that it was the team’s only option for 2009.
His decision to give Brawn GP a chance finally paid big times, allowing him to leave after a great season and not after the worst season of its 15 years of career, like it would have been a year ago.
Mercedes will now take over a successful team after a successful year – although the end of the season was much more difficult than the beginning. Brawn ensures he will not regret his decision to sell, even if the team continues to win.