Ross Brawn plans to step back at the end of the season

It is a real page of history which is about to be turned in Formula 1, after the announced departure of Ross Brawn at the end of the season. The Briton, present in the category since 1978, has made all the right moves during his career, rich in success, sometimes at Benetton (1992-1996), Ferrari (1997-2006) or with his own team, Brawn GP (2009). Now at the head of Formula 1's sporting management for almost five years, Ross Brawn will finally conclude his final full-time season.

From simple mechanic to head of the discipline

It’s a trajectory that many would like to experience during their career. But it was at the very bottom of the ladder that Ross Brawn experienced his first joys in Formula 1, being recruited as a mechanic for the brand new British team, Williams, at the start of the 1978 season. If in a few decades, the Briton had experienced many positions and above all many victories, it was after forty-four years of good and loyal service that he finally decided to withdraw, not definitively but “significantly”, from the world of F1.

"I intend to take a step back, let's put it this way, he confesses to German television Sport 1. I will remain available with my expertise, but I will no longer be responsible for one area every day. This means that I will once again take care of my children and grandchildren more, go fishing more and tend to my garden. »

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Since 2017, Ross Brawn is one of those who, at the head of the sporting management, will have cemented the rules and modifications which currently govern Formula 1. The new single-seaters, the sprint races, the arrival of a calendar of 23 races... So many elements that make the Briton proud, as he is full of praise for the new path that the discipline seems to be taking.

" I am very satisfied, assures Ross Brawn about the new rules of Formula 1. The cars can follow each other more closely and therefore better overtake each other. It also became easier to ride side by side. Before, few people knew, a car also lost performance at this level. Pirelli also made its contribution to the improvement.

So all of this has already worked well. The fact that some teams were able to apply the new rules better and others were offended is part of Formula 1 folklore and was foreseen in advance. This particularly affected Mercedes. But they're not stupid, they'll get there. »

If Ross Brawn is at the origin of the current changes in F1, he is also one of the actors of the new regulations which will come into force in 2026, with the introduction of a more sustainable fuel and a higher share of electricity. important in single-seaters. “For Formula 1, it’s fantastic,” proclaims the Briton, who also welcomes the arrival of new manufacturers like Audi. If at present, Ross Brawn still occupies the position of sporting director of F1, the name of his future replacement has still not filtered.