Expensive,
The core of the design team are still there apart from 1 notable...Zander, Brawn made sure he kept his b rightest and most talented.
While that is'nt saying much for this year, it does for 2009.
Lets look at this logically for a minute. Mercedes were rightfully peeved with Mclaren for 3 massive reasons.
The first being Spygate, no explanation needed.
Second is Liegate, following hot on the heels of Spygate, again no explanation required.
Finally there was the divergence of Mclaren and Mercedes road car plans. We will see a head to head between a Mercedes and a Mclaren on the road. This Stuttgart was aware of 2 or 3 years ago.
Hence an SLS AMG to counter the MP4-12C. And I bet the Mercedes not only outsells McLaren 5 to 1, it will be more profitable per unit.
Which leads me to the "split", and the opportunism of Mercedes to get a team on the cheap, with the ability to match the big boys, Brawn GP.
Total credit for wins, and less money spent and more money earned.
They are free of having to pay Mclaren 70 million per season no questions asked. This money goes straight into their own F1 project. In addition their revenues will be their own to keep, so this isnt costing Mercedes as much as when they were with Mclaren.
Mercedes will want to continue its high profile within F1 as it adds prestige to a prestige brand. Ferrari can testify. "Lesser" Brands also get huge exposure, look at Renault, and their drive into the east. Its fuelled partially by exposure in F1.
With the looming resource restriction, how do you think McLarten will fare?
McLaren maybe quicker next year but they will have to make the cuts on 1st january to 400 staff. Mercedes are already there and are in the top 4 competing against teams with 50% more staff and resources.
Mercedes GP have a rudimentary F-duct, and where one of the first to do so, behind Sauber(who had inside info with De La Rosa in on the whole thing) and obviously Mclaren.
Their blown exhaust worked really well at Silverstone, less so at other venues, but with the 50% less staff back at Brackley compare to Red Bull and Mclaren, thats not really bad is it?
So to conclude, Mercedes bought a team for 70 million, using money that Mclaren owe them, and will continue to fund it with money from them until 2012.
200 million last I checked.
Secondly Mercedes are a blue chip brand that has attracted big blue chip companies to underwrite the expenses. So cost isnt an issue.
Mclaren still carry Mercedes Badges and paint scheme(silver), so they win Mercedes win. Until Mclaren ditch both and pay Mercedes off fully.
Thirdly 2011 will be a most interesting time to see how Mercedes will "fix" the problems that they are currently experiencing, and how Red Bull McLaren and especially Ferrari Perform under the resource restriction.
The first half of 2011 I expect business as usual, but as the restriction sets in things will get very spicy I think.
My 50 quids worth
