Formulation One managing director Ross Brawn stated on Monday he was heading into retirement with the game on a brand new path and as sturdy because it has ever been.
The 68-year-old Briton, some of the revered and profitable figures in Formulation One and whose final race was this month’s Abu Dhabi season-ender, stated it was time to go the baton to others.
“I’ve loved almost every minute of my 46-year career and I’ve been fortunate to have worked with many great teams, great drivers and great people. I wouldn’t have changed a thing,” he wrote on the Formulation One web site.
“I will now watch F1 from my sofa, cheering and cursing as an F1 fan, pleased that the sport is in a fantastic place and has such a fantastic future.”
The bespectacled Englishman, a eager Manchester United fan, was the tactical brains behind Michael Schumacher’s seven world championships — two with Benetton in 1994 and 1995 after which 5 in a row at Ferrari between 2000-04.
Michael Schumacher of Germany and Ferrari celebrates with then Ferrari Technical Director Ross Brawn after successful the European F1 Grand Prix in 2006 (File).
| Photograph Credit score: Getty Photos
He left Ferrari on the finish of 2006 to take a sabbatical, and go fishing, earlier than returning on the helm of the Honda crew on the finish of 2007.
When Honda withdrew a 12 months later he purchased the crew and the renamed Brawn GP gained each world championships in 2009.
The Briton then bought the crew to Mercedes and stayed on to guide them in 2010 on their return to the game as a constructor for the primary time since 1955.
He left in 2013, the 12 months now seven-times champion Lewis Hamilton joined as substitute for Schumacher, and began work with Formulation One in 2017.
“Now is the right time for me to retire. We have done the bulk of the work, and we are in a consolidation period now,” he stated.
“There’s a new car coming in 2026, but that’s four years away, quite distant for me, so it’s better the next group of people take on that mantle. I believe I’m leaving F1 in a great place.”
Bernie Ecclestone with Ross Brawn (File)
| Photograph Credit score: Getty Photos
Brawn stated the racing had improved underneath Liberty Media, who took over the game in 2017 and ousted former industrial supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
A price cap launched final 12 months was a really important step, tracks had been re-assessed, the governance improved and new technical rules introduced in that resulted in higher racing.
“That will be the priority in the future — it’s one of the changes to the mindset of F1 that I’m really pleased about,” stated Brawn.
