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Mercedes GP team principal Ross Brawn said driver Michael Schumacher has rediscovered his edge. The German finished ninth in the drivers' championship last season, but the seven-time World Champion was fastest on day two of testing at Jerez. "It would be a tremendous boost for Formula 1 if he succeeds," Brawn told BBC Radio Northampton. "We had a quiet year with Michael last year. Now he's looking sharp and he might surprise a few people." Brawn commented that this will be the season where Schumacher, who said he was "slightly concerned" about the pace of the new Mercedes , showed the quality that brought him two world titles with Benetton and five with Ferrari. "He's not been involved in the sport for three years, and undoubtedly in that time, certain edges go soft. I think they're sharp again now," stated Brawn. If we can do a great car then there's no reason why he or Nico Rosberg shouldn't win races Mercedes GP team principal Ross Brawn "I've heard the comments that he's tarnishing his image because he's not winning races, but he's loving what he's doing. He's not worried what people think about him." Despite his success in Jerez, the German used Pirelli's super soft rubber tires and Red Bull driver Mark Webber told Yahoo! Eurosport that Schumacher's pace in testing had been "a little show for Germany". Brawn, who worked with Schumacher at Benetton and Ferrari before he brought him out of retirement to join Mercedes GP last season, disagreed with that assessment. "He wasn't showboating [in testing]. We didn't set out to do a low lap time," said Brawn. "We didn't have a good car last year - we didn't hold up our side of the bargain - but if we can do a great car then there's no reason why he or Nico Rosberg shouldn't win races." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport...one/9399262.stm

from http://en.espnf1.com/mercedes/motorsport/story/29781.html "Michael's driving style depends on a strong front tyre that can withstand his hard braking and the steering manoeuvres that he prefers. Nico has simply understood better how to handle these front tyres. " If Michael is such a good driver, shouldn't he be able to tweak his driving style to suit the car. He should at least be on par with Nico.

Jenson Button had to file legal action to ensure his former team handed over his prize for winning the 2009 world championship, according to the Mail on Sunday. Button agreed to lower his salary after the Brawn takeover of Honda with a clause added to his contract that he could keep a chassis of his car if he won the championship. The clause read: "In the event that the driver wins the championship at any time during the term, the company shall transfer ... ownership of one chassis of the type driven by the driver during that winning season." The case has come to light because Button's company JB Next BV filed legal action in London's High Court in April against the Brawn. According to the Mail on Sunday report, the team refused to hand over a 2009 Brawn car to Button because there were not enough of the chassis remaining. It is believed that six BGP001 cars were made, but an email to Button from Mercedes in January reads: "We have no spare 2009 chassis as limited quantities were manufactured for the 2009 season for cost reasons." Mercedes then reportedly offered to build a replica of the BGP001 car, but Button said it would lack the "special and unique" value of owning one of the very cars he drove to the title. In the face of legal action, Brawn ultimately decided to supply a 2009 Brawn car to the now McLaren driver. "We have arrived at an amicable resolution, and so there will no longer be any court action over this," Button's spokesman confirmed. Source : ESPN

Ross Brawn says changes Mercedes is set to make to the W01 for the Spanish Grand Prix should help improve the car's weight distribution, after admitting it was one area the team got wrong on the car. After lagging behind its three chief rivals at the front of the field in the opening flyaway rounds, the reigning world champion Brackley-based squad is aiming to start closing the gap from the next race when it will introduce a particularly big car upgrade. Mercedes has struggled with understeer with the W01 so far this season

Ross Brawn has revealed that he is "happier" now than when he was solely in charge of a team bearing his own name. In the wake of Honda's shock exit at the end of 2008, the Briton and a group of team management took over and won last year's title. But for 2010, Brawn GP was bought out to become Mercedes's new works team, with the 55-year-old staying on board as team principal. Brawn's passion and focus has always been on the engineering side, and he told the Financial Times this week: "To perform in the best possible way, I'm happier not being the majority shareholder." He said he only ever owned the team "by default", and while able to run the highly-competitive chassis designed with Honda's huge resources, was financed only by the Japanese marque's parting EUR2 million gift. Brawn explained that F1 teams usually work "to a budget that is guaranteed two to three years ahead. "But here I was in a situation where there was no budget. You had to do as well as you could and make the company as viable as possible while spending the minimum amount of money doing it." Source: GMM

Nico Rosberg will soon notch up the first victory of his formula one career, team boss Ross Brawn predicts. The 24-year-old German finished on the podium just twice during his four-year tenure with Williams, but within four races has already finished in the top-3 twice at the wheel of a Mercedes. "Nico is very close to winning a race," Brawn told the Daily Star newspaper. "Things just need to fall into place -- but that will come. I am sure he'll do it. Definitely," he added. Rosberg, whose Finnish father Keke won the world championship in 1982, finished third in both Malaysia and China, while his famous teammate Michael Schumacher's last two finishes have been in tenth place. "Nico has raised his game," said former triple world champion Sir Jackie Stewart, who while a sponsor representative at Williams worked close up with Rosberg. "The boy has extraordinary skills. I think Michael has been taken aback by that. It must be affecting him," added the Scot. Rosberg's former boss Sir Frank Williams told the Daily Mail: "Nico is a very self-confident young man with a reasonable amount of justification for being so. "He won't be overawed in Michael's presence." But a report in the Telegraph newspaper expressed concern that Mercedes' decision to alter the wheelbase length of the W01 car could affect Rosberg's momentum. "Instead of helping Schumacher get back up to speed, could it just upset Rosberg, costing him the chance to compete for the world title?" wondered writer Tom Cary. Source: GMM

It is Jenson Button's "really intelligent approach" that is paying off so far in 2010, according to his former boss Ross Brawn. After two wins on damp tracks so far in 2010, the reigning world champion is currently leading the world championship. But throughout the winter, most experts predicted that Button, 30, would be blown away at least initially by Lewis Hamilton. His friend David Coulthard wrote in his latest Telegraph column: "I told you so." Brawn, who replaced Button with Michael Schumacher this year but insists the Briton switched to McLaren for the new challenge, told Reuters that F1 is again seeing the "natural Jenson" who won many races early in 2009. Brawn said the more conservative and tense driver in the second half of the season was the result of the "pressures" of the championship battle. "He's not looked necessarily quicker than Lewis, but he's doing a better job and he's getting the results," he added. Former long time McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa said most paddock regulars did not expect Button to have the upper hand over Hamilton. "Hardly anyone counted on that," he told the Swiss newspaper Blick. "He (Button) has stayed calm and had very few problems with the tyres. But I know Hamilton's strengths. He will soon wake up and strike back," de la Rosa predicted. Indeed, when asked to name his picks for the eventual title battle, the Spaniard answered: "Good question, difficult answer. "Hamilton, Vettel or Alonso -- and not necessarily in that order!"

Confirming rumours that had been in the air for several weeks, Mercedes announced today that it will be taking over a 75.1% stake in this year's championship-winning team, Brawn GP. Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche and Mercedes Motorsport chief Norbert Haug also confirmed that starting next season, the team will be renamed Mercedes GP. Ross Brawn and Nick Fry, along with other partners, will detain the remaining 24.9% in Mercedes GP. Brawn will continue as Team Principal, but no drivers have been confirmed. Mercedes currently holds a 40% participation in the McLaren team; that portion will be bought back by McLaren over a period reaching until 2011, at which point the team will become independent. However Mercedes will continue supplying engines to McLaren until 2015 and the cars will retain their silver livery. http://en.f1-live.com

Jenson Button is locked in a worsening contract dispute with Brawn GP over money just as he closes in on his first Formula One world title. Championship leader Button will fly to the Singapore Grand Prix this week 14 points ahead of his closest rival but without a deal in sight for next year. Last winter Button had ignored the advice of his manager, Richard Goddard, by agreeing to reduce his old Honda contract from an estimated

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