F1 Titles Worth $30 Million to Ross Brawn, Brawn GP Directors
How much is winning a Formula 1 title worth? According to Bloomberg, it was worth more than $30 million to Ross Brawn and the other directors of the Brawn GP team in 2009 after the team won the constructors’ championship and Jenson Button won the drivers’ title. A company filing released this week shows that Brawn, who took over the form Honda team after the car manufacturer pulled out of the sport, split a dividend of $30.8 million after shares of the company soared following its double championship.
The Brawn GP was in deep financial trouble in March 2009, according to the filing at Companies House in London, forcing directors to loan a major sum of money to the company in order to keep it afloat. However, the investment was certainly worth it as the team ended with a profit in excess of $100 million.
Brawn GP was purchased by Daimler AG’s Mercedes and Abu Dhabi fund Aabar Investments PJSC last November and rebranded as Mercedes GP. The team currently stands fourth in the constructors’ championship with drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosburg.