Brawn leaves board but remains team boss

Ross Brawn has left the executive board of the Mercedes GP team, according to a report in the Cologne newspaper Express.

Brawn and his partners including Nick Fry have now sold 100 per cent of the Brackley based team to Daimler and Abu Dhabi shareholder Aabar.

The next step, according to Express, is team boss and Briton Brawn’s resignation from the executive committee, with the tabloid surmising: "The parting (of Brawn) moves closer".

Brawn, however, insists the move just makes it "Easier for me regarding what my role will be in the coming years".

He insisted his board resignation is his own decision.

Mercedes’ motor sport boss Norbert Haug commented: "Ross remains the team chief and can now concentrate completely on this role."

And Brawn insisted he is not yet thinking about retirement.

"So long as a physically can, I will continue," he said. "However this will be my last team in formula one."