Honda is saved
After months of speculation, rumour and no comment an official announcement has finally been made that the Team Formerly Known As Honda has been sold to Ross Brawn and will be named Brawn GP. The name is still subject to approval by the FIA but at least there is no ‘F1’ in the name so Bernie shouldn’t object.
As suspected, the team will use Mercedes-Benz engines and will retain Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello as drivers. Bruno Senna, the nephew of three-time World Champion Ayrton Senna, had been rumoured to be signed by the team but with so little time before the first race in Melbourne Ross Brawn clearly wanted two experienced drivers:
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.
Brawn GP are scheduled to conduct a shakedown of the new car on Friday before testing in Barcelona between 9-12 March and in Jerez from 15-17 March.