There will be an all British team in cycling next year and there will be an England team at the Football World Cup, but now F1 is getting in on the act with the news that McLaren have signed up World Champion Jenson Button to drive alongside fellow Briton and former World Champion Lewis Hamilton. Without having time to look up the facts this is probably the first time there have been two World Champions on the same team since, well I’m not sure since when. Maybe since Senna and Prost? Certainly the first time a team has had the previous two World Champions on it’s books for many many years. I’ll do the proper research tomorrow.

Also breaking news in F1 was that Mercedes have bought a majority stake in the Brawn GP team and will re-name it Mercedes Grand Prix going forward. Mercedes and its parent company, Daimler AG will own 45.1% of the team while Ross Brawn and the Abu Dhabi-based Aarbar investments will hold 24.9% and 30% respectively. Mercides will continue to supply engines to McLaren for free while McLaren will buy the Mercedes shares in the McLaren team back over the next couple of years.

It is a huge leap forward for the Brawn team considering Brawn GP didn’t even exist twelve months ago when Honda decided to pull out. It is also nice to see one big manufacturer keeping faith in the sport and committing long term. Other reports suggest Mercedes will want a German to head up the team and that will be Nick Heidfeld alongside Nico Rosberg with Rubens Barrichello having left the team for Williams recently.

It is all change in F1 this off season. I’m not sure the last time I seen so many driver moves. With McLaren running the two Brits and Alonso partnering Massa at Ferrari it leave Finn’s Raikkonen and Kovalainen looking for drives. Could we see an all-Finnish team before long also? It would be interesting.

I’d like to write more, and I will in the coming days, but I am in a bit of a hurry this evening. My next blog on the subject likely will be a more in-depth look on how Button might get on alongside Hamilton in a similar car and how they will get along. I’ll also have an answer to the stats about two World Champions driving together. This F1 off-season has only just begun and already it is full of interesting moves.

Read more about: Brawn GP, F1 Off-Season, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, Mercedes GP | ALL SUBJECTS |

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