Autoblog

Graham Prix: Brawn GP finally gets its own watch line... and it's about time

Noah Joseph — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Marketing/Advertising

Graham-London Chronofighter G-BGP-001 - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you're going to be a world championship Formula One team, you're going to need your own watch line. Ferrari is with Panerai, McLaren is with TAG Heuer, and even Williams has Oris. The Honda team was in league with Seiko, but since splitting off as Brawn GP, the title-leading race team has been decidedly bereft of sponsors. But a new partnership with Graham-London brings the record-breaking team a new collection of timepieces to measure just how far ahead of the competition they are.

Far from the kind of capitalization you'd expect of the winning team's sponsor, Graham's line of Brawn GP wristwatches is limited to 250 examples, split between two models: the Chronofighter G-BGP-001 and the Silverstone G-BGP-001. Both feature 47-mm steel cases and are available with either black or white faces offset by the team's signature neon yellow accents. A transparent sapphire crystal case-back puts the intricate Swiss movement on display, secured to the wrist by a sporty rubber strap.

Made by the company that claims the origin of the chronograph movement, Graham-London was founded in 1695 and manufactures its movements in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Details in the press release after the jump and high-res images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Graham-London Brawn GP watch line

[Source: Graham-London]

Continue reading Graham Prix: Brawn GP finally gets its own watch line... and it's about time

Graham Prix: Brawn GP finally gets its own watch line... and it's about time originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Could Ross Brawn lose his license for speeding?

Noah Joseph — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Government/Legal, Celebrities

Are Formula One legends above the law when it comes to driving on public roads? No and that belief hasn't stopped a handful of drivers from getting into their fair share of trouble. Lewis Hamilton, for example, had his license revoked in France. Michael Schumacher, on the other hand, has gotten into an array of amusing fender-benders behind the wheel of "ordinary" vehicles. Now you can add to their ranks on Ross Brawn, the legendary race strategist responsible for countless race wins and world titles for Benetton, Ferrari and now his own championship-leading Brawn GP team.

The British motorsport engineer was reportedly busted by police in his native England going 100 miles per hour in a 70 zone behind the wheel of a Mercedes. He was set to appear in court last Tuesday, but rescheduled for September 4 once the grands prix in Spain and Belgium are done. When he does finally appear before the magistrate, Brawn could stand to lose his license. Just as well, because he can probably direct a chauffeur to drive even better than he can himself. Just ask Schumacher or Button.

[Source: BBC | Image: Paul Gilham/Getty]

Could Ross Brawn lose his license for speeding? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ex-Honda team Brawn GP dominates pre-season F1 tests

Noah Joseph — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Honda, Mercedes-Benz

Click above for gallery of Brawn GP testing at Catalunya

Normally an off-season Formula One test session wouldn't be worth reporting to anyone but the most hard-core racing fans, but the motorsport press was shocked to see which team has emerged at the front of the pack at this week's official session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. Only a couple of weeks after announcing their new ownership and return to the grid for this season, it was Brawn GP that embarrassed the heavy-hitters and lead the field, running with a plain livery while strategizing sponsorship deals and posting lap times a full second ahead of Ferrari, the next fastest team in testing.

While some postulated that Jenson Button's lap times were nothing more than a publicity stunt, running on a reduced fuel load to lap faster and garner attention, analysts note that the team was up at the front the whole way through their full Grand Prix weekend simulation. Even Fernando Alonso says the former Honda team's performance is for real, while Ross Brawn, the mastermind technical director turned team owner, credits the team's performance to the priority placed on developing the new car last year under the Honda banner.

Meanwhile, returning champions McLaren-Mercedes, which is supplying Brawn's engines in exchange for Honda's severance cash, languished at the back of the field, while Toyota, which is tipped to follow Honda out of the sport if they don't win their first race this year, ran at the front with Ferrari and BMW. With new regulations in place, we knew things would get shaken up, but Brawn GP was probably the last team we expected to seize the reins. Click below to view a new image gallery, and follow the jump for video footage.

Gallery: Brawn GP at Catalunya, March 2009

[Source: F1-Live]

Continue reading Ex-Honda team Brawn GP dominates pre-season F1 tests

Ex-Honda team Brawn GP dominates pre-season F1 tests originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: Honda sells F1 team to Ross Brawn, Brawn GP launched

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Honda

It's official: Honda has turned over their Formula 1 team to former Team Principal Ross Brawn. Although the terms of the transaction haven't been disclosed, Brawn picks up the whole operation in the sale. While there were suggestions the new team might be named Brackley after the team's HQ locale, it will be eponymously named Brawn GP. Considering the cars feature McLaren-Mercedes powerplants, we weren't surprised when we didn't see the word "Honda" in the name.

Along with the new name comes a new website, BrawnGP.com, where you can find a small gallery of the GP cars, drivers and Ross. The cars have already been testing in the UK at Silverstone and are expected to test in Spain as well before the season opener in Melbourne on March 29. Drivers have been confirmed as Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, assuring some continuity and experience for the new-old team. It will definitely be an interesting F1 season. Press releases from both companies are after the jump.

Continue reading Officially Official: Honda sells F1 team to Ross Brawn, Brawn GP launched

Officially Official: Honda sells F1 team to Ross Brawn, Brawn GP launched originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Honda F1 team to be taken over by Brawn Sport

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 09:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Honda

The former Honda F1 team has a white knight, and his name is Ross Brawn. The man originally brought in by former team principal Nick Fry to help turn the struggling team around has ended up taking control of it, along with four partners thought to include Fry and financial director Nigel Kerr. Brawn and Fry have been reported to have an equal share in the team, but it will most certainly be run by Brawn.

Some reports claim that the team will be called Brawn Sport, while others say it will be called Brackley F1 - Brackley being the site of the team's UK headquarters. Whatever it's called, the team has been funded by an advance on its Formula 1 television rights money, and Honda. The carmaker decided it would be better and cheaper to give the new team money than to close up shop and pay several hundred severance packages.

Jenson Button has taken a pay cut to remain with the team, but his teammate hasn't been named. With recent events, Bruno Senna is thought to be out of the running so that Rubens Barrichello can provide continuity and experience. The team's Mercedes engines have already been paid for and installed, and a shakedown is scheduled for this Thursday at Silverstone. For F1 fans, it means there'll be another team in what is looking like a fascinating season.

[Source: Daily F1 | Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty]

REPORT: Honda F1 team to be taken over by Brawn Sport originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda strikes an Accord, may stay in F1 after all

Noah Joseph — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Honda

With the start of the 2009 Formula One championship approaching, reports from the motorsport press are suggesting that Honda's F1 team may be starting this season after all. Honda had announced it was withdrawing from the sport after last season, leaving team leaders Nick Fry and Ross Brawn to look for new funding. And if those reports are to be believed, they may have found it. Some of it, anyway.

Without Honda's active participation, the team is speculated to run customer engines supplied by Mercedes-Benz. The task of securing financial backing, however, was made all the more difficult by team sponsor Petrobras' decision to withdraw from Formula One as well. But sources suggest that Honda may have found it more cost-effective to help keep the team afloat for a while longer rather than having to offer its employees severance packages. Additional funding is said to have come from the personal backers of Bruno Senna, nephew of the late great Ayrton Senna, who was tipped to partner Jenson Button at the team for this season before Honda pulled the plug. Lastly, reports indicate that F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone may be backing the orphaned team out of his own business interests. But the $30 million in funding reported may only be enough to get the former Honda team on the grid for the first four races in Australia, Malaysia, China and Bahrain, which could at least give Ross and Nick some more time to find new patrons and sponsors.

[Source: F1-Live and GrandPrix.com]

Honda strikes an Accord, may stay in F1 after all originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda F1 Roundup: Brawn, Schumacher and Ferrari

Noah Joseph — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 06:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Honda, Ferrari, Rumormill

F1 teams change hands all the time, but when a major manufacturer pulls out of the sport, it's bound to trigger a rumor mill of tsunamic proportions. And that's exactly what's been going on in the motorsport press following Honda's announcement to cancel its F1 program.

First came rumors that Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim was to buy the team, but those reports were later denied. Ferrari, meanwhile, has confirmed discussions with Ross Brawn, formerly the Scuderia's technical director and now head of the Honda F1, over the prospect of supplying engines to the team if and when a new buyer is found. (Last year Ferrari supplied both Toro Rosso and Force India, but the latter has switched to Mercedes for the upcoming season.) Brawn and his colleague Nick Fry are reportedly speaking to a number of potential buyers (Prodrive's David Richards possibly still among them), but while the asking price for the team must be lower than usual given the economy and Honda's motivation to sell, sources don't expect the list includes any automakers. (For our part, we wouldn't be surprised to see Hyundai make an offer.) Some reports suggested that Michael Schumacher - with whom Brawn built a close relationship during their tenure at Ferrari, and who races occasionally with Honda on two wheels - could get involved, but Schumi's own spokespeople have denied the rumors. For his part, Brawn has stated his number one priority is securing the jobs of the team's many employees, but even that might prove to be a tall order during these troubled times.

[Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty]

Honda F1 Roundup: Brawn, Schumacher and Ferrari originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 06:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari may supply engines for Honda's ex-F1 team

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Honda, Ferrari

Ross Brawn, who joined the Honda F1 team as Technical Director in 2007 after an extremely successful stint across the paddock at Ferrari, has said that the now-ownerless ex-Honda F1 team he manages would like to ink a deal with its Italian competitor for engines to power its Formula 1 racers. Now that Honda has officially pulled its factory support from the program, the team will need a good, reliable powerplant if it has any chance remaining competitive, and Ferrari already supplies engines to Scuderia Toro Rosso and Force India in addition to its own Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro factory effort.

Regardless of what powerplant Brawn's team chooses, it isn't likely to get an early shot at testing. At this point, the team is just looking to stay on the track as it attempts to find itself a new buyer and any success found on the track for the '09 season would just be icing on the cake. Thanks for the tip, Eric!

[Source: F1 Fanatic - Photo: Tim Wang CC 2.0]

Ferrari may supply engines for Honda's ex-F1 team originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Psych! Honda F1 not being bought by Mexican billionaire

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Honda

Have you heard the one about the former F1 team that gets bought by the Mexican billionaire? Yeah, well, we heard it, too, and it's completely untrue. Not only has Carlos Slim has not bought Honda, but a spokesman makes clear that "There is no deal for the Honda team. There is neither agreement nor negotiations."

Nevertheless, Honda says it is leaving the team in good shape and everything is still moving forward. Team chief Ross Brawn said "We have enough funding to get us through to Melbourne and we still have a competitive package." Brawn also said so many folks are snooping around that they've got to sort the jokers from the serious players. Cue Dave Richards...

[Source: Eurosport]

Psych! Honda F1 not being bought by Mexican billionaire originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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