» Brawn to sell shareholding to Mercedes?

Mercedes-Benz looks set to assume total control of the Formula 1 team bearing its name.

The outfit bought into the then-named Brawn GP team following its incredible Drivers’ and Constructors’ championship doubles in 2009, with Ross Brawn and his partners retaining a 24.9% shareholding in the Brackley squad.

Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport claims that a transfer to the remaining shareholding to Mercedes will take place before the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. It is also understood that Brawn will remain on board, but as an employed staff member.

The outfit has had a history of changing identities since it began life as British American Racing in 1999 after acquiring the Tyrrell team. The outfit morphed into Honda in the mid 2000s, before being taken over by Brawn when the Japanese carmaker pulled out of the sport at the end of 2008.