Honda Racing has announced that it has signed former Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn as its team principal. Brawn has been on sabbatical this year after a 10-year tenure at the Maranello squad, where he masterminded an unprecedented six consecutive constructors’ world championships and five drivers’ titles with Michael Schumacher. He will join Honda as team principal, working alongside Nick Fry, who will stay on as chief executive. Brawn will be given full responsibility for design, manufacture, engineering and race operations, allowing Fry to focus on the business and marketing side and managing the relationship with Honda’s board in Japan.

Throughout the summer Brawn was strongly linked with a return to Ferrari, but when negotiations broke down Honda quickly swooped for the Briton and the deal was reportedly signed off last week at a meeting with the company’s bosses in Japan. It is also likely to boost the team’s chances of retaining Jenson Button’s services beyond 2008. Fry said Brawn’s appointment was proof of Honda’s determination to reverse its slide down the grid and build a title-challenging outfit. “One of my main tasks over the past six months has been to attract new talent to the Honda Racing F1 Team and we have made a number of key appointments in the areas of aerodynamics, design, engineering, marketing and on the racing team,” he said. “Today’s announcement that Ross Brawn is to join our team is a very satisfying conclusion to the process of refreshing and revitalising a strong and determined team. Honda Motor Company’s Hiroshi Oshima added: “I am pleased with the structure we have put in place for the future success of our Formula 1 team.

“We look forward to a successful season ahead.” Brawn will begin work with Honda on November 26.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 13th, 2007 at 8:23 am and is filed under Formula One Teams, Breaking News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.