Former Mercedes chief Ross Brawn confirms he is working with prospective F1 owners Liberty Media but denies he is set to replace Bernie Ecclestone
Former Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn insists that suggestions that he is to replace Bernie Ecclestone as the most important man in Formula One are premature.
The Briton responded to German reports that he has been appointed by F1’s prospective new owners Liberty Media to oversee the competitive and commercial sides of the business.
Brawn, 61, confirmed that he has been working on an ad-hoc basis with Liberty Media, which has agreed to buy F1 for $4.4bn (£3.6bn), but denied he had already signed up for a permanent role.
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“Liberty have not got far enough down the road to make any commitments yet,” he told the BBC. “I’m doing a little consulting to help them better understand F1 but that’s all.”
The future of 86-year-old Ecclestone, who has run the sport for four decades, is in doubt should the American company’s takeover clear regulatory hurdles.
Brawn was credited with masterminding Michael Schumacher’s success at Benetton and Ferrari before establishing his eponymous team from the ashes of Honda F1.
Brawn GP won the constructors’ and drivers’ championships in 2009, its only season, before being bought by Mercedes.