From the time Daimler AG and company bought the 75 percent stake in Brawn Grand Prix and renaming the team to Mercedes Grand Prix, it became clear that the championship-winning team of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello would be replaced. The question was when and by whom. Button answered that by joining McLaren last week. In his place, Mercedes GP has confirmed their first driver for next year: Nico Rosberg. As part of the deal, Barrichello will be moving in the opposite direction to Williams.
The son of former World Champion Keke Rosberg, the 24-year-old Rosberg won the inaugural GP2 Series title in 2005, and was the youngest driver to test an F1 car. He was then hired by Williams, for whom he raced the last four seasons, placing seventh in the season just past.
According to previous reports, Mercedes GP is said to be building an all-German team, with Nick Heidfeld the most likely candidate to fill in the position vacated by Barrichello. The 40-year-old F1 legend, Michael Schumacher, is also rumoured to be in the running.
Tags: Brawn GP • F1 • F1 World Championship • Formula One • Formula One World Championship • Jenson Button • McLaren • Mercedes GP • Michael Schumacher • Motor Sport • Nick Heidfeld • Nico Rosberg • Rubens Barrichello • Williams
[...] A move to the Mercedes team will reunite Schumacher with Ross Brawn, the technical director who guided him to all seven of his titles, and partner him with Nico Rosberg, the 24-year-old German hired from Williams. [...]