The biggest question surrounding the announced departure of Ross Brawn as team boss of Mercedes AMG Petronas is--where, if anywhere, will he go? Mercedes announced today that veteran team boss Ross Brawn is leaving the team at the end of the year. Brawn said:
"The most important consideration in my decision to step down from the role as Team Principal was to ensure that the timing was right for the team in order to ensure its future success.
"The succession planning process that we have implemented during this year means we are now ready to conduct the transition from my current responsibilities to a new leadership team composed of Toto and Paddy.
"Mercedes-Benz has invested significantly in both the personnel and infrastructure at Brackley and Brixworth. Thanks to the one-team approach we have implemented between the two facilities, the team is uniquely positioned to succeed in 2014 and I am proud to have helped lay the foundations for that success.
"However, 2014 will mark the beginning of a new era in the sport. We therefore felt this was the right time to simultaneously begin a new era of team management to ensure that the organisation is in the strongest possible competitive position for the years to come.
"We can take pride not just in our on-track achievements but also in the organisation we have built at Brackley. In its different guises over the past six seasons, this team has delivered some of the most memorable moments of my career. Our second place in this season's Constructors' Championship is an important milestone on the road to championship success.
"I am confident that the future will hold just as much success for the team and will take real pride in having played my own part in those achievements."
The rumors had been circulating for several weeks and not the sort of rumors that were questioning Mercedes and their decision to part company with Brawn but the bigger question of where Brawn might land after his departure.
Brawn took the former Honda F1 team to glory in 2009 as Brawn GP winning the championship and then promptly selling his team to Mercedes. It was a leap of faith on some level but the team boss managed to foot the bill and pocket a nice gain in the form of a cheque from Mercedes.
Mercedes will be left with new arrival Paddy Lowe and Toto Wolff. Still, the question remains. The 2014 regulations may be a good jumping off point for Brawn but many don't expect the veteran to be set out to pasture. Rumors have suggested Williams F1, Ferrari and Red Bull as possible landing pads for Brawn but in the end, it depends on the circumstances as brawn doesn't like to play second fiddle to anyone- a main reason for leaving Mercedes.
Where do you think he'll go? Do you think he will retire from Formula 1 or will we see him in the paddock in 2014?