German carmakers Mercedes is taking full control of their Formula One team by buying out team principal Ross Brawn and four partners, a German news report said on Wednesday.
The auto, motor und sport magazine said on its website that Mercedes are taking over the 24.9 per cent Brawn and his partners kept when they sold former BrawnGP to Mercedes after winning the 2009 world title.
The report said the deal is to be finalized ahead of the season-opening 2011 race on March 13 in Bahrain.
Mercedes unveiled their new car for record seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher and fellow-German Nico Rosberg on Tuesday ahead of first pre-season tests in Valencia, Spain.
Schumacher, 42, came out of retirement last year at Mercedes but had to settle for ninth place in a difficult return and an inferior car without a podium finish.
He told Wednesday’s Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily that he aims for more this time around in “a better Mercedes, a better car overall” and wants to mount a serious title challenge in the final season of his contract in 2012 if it doesn’t already work out in 2011.
“Of course you prefer to make the podium than racing for fourth to 10th place. But I did not return to get yet another podium finish. I have different goals,” said Schumacher, who has 91 race wins.
“We are within my three-year time-table. We can drive for the world title, but I still have some doubts whether we can achieve it this year.”
