A quite stunning rumour has emerged suggesting Penske is in talks to take over the Mercedes works team in Formula 1.
Several sources are quoting a report on F1 Insider which claims Roger Penske, who recently bought Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the IndyCar Series, could add the Brackley-based outfit to his portfolio.
Mercedes has been the dominant force in F1 since 2014 winning a record six consecutive double championships thanks predominantly to mastering the new V6 hybrid engines which were introduced five years ago.
However, this very week current motorsport boss Toto Wolff has suggested their future participation in the sport is “not a given” particularly as they have “nothing more to prove”.
The timing of this rumour is also pretty coincidental as the Austrian is not present at this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix, the first race he has missed since 2013.
Adding further credence to the possibility, Mercedes are switching focus to electric vehicles with a new fleet of road cars being developed and a new entry in the Formula E series from Season 6, which begins on November 23.
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The trigger for a sudden departure is the end of the current Concorde Agreement which binds the teams, FIA and F1’s owners Liberty Media at the end of 2020.
As part of the new Agreement, a massive regulations overhaul is to take place with new cars and the introduction of a $175m budget cap which will dramatically reduce the costs for manufacturers like Mercedes.
However, such moves have been unpopular as their financial power is a key element in the top teams remaining at the front of the grid.
The limit though is attracting interest from private entities and according to the report, Penske is only one of the parties considering a bid for the team which they claim is up for sale.
Another is the Mazepin family in Russia, who have been desperate to enter F1 for several years now having unsuccessfully bid for the Force India team in 2018.
Much like the Stroll’s, who eventually did buy what is now Racing Point, the Mazepin’s have been supporting the racing career of their son Nikita, who races in F2.
The silver lining is, according to F1 Insider, Mercedes will not pull out of the sport completely and will remain an engine supplier, with that operation currently run out of Brixworth.
At the moment, Racing Point, Williams and McLaren are currently signed to run their power units in 2021 and beyond.