> Ross Brawn to discuss future next year

Ross Brawn will hold talks with Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo and CEO Jean Todt about whether to rejoin the team at the end of his sabbatical.

Brawn, who formed part of the ultra-successful group that helped forge Michael Schumacher's seven world titles at Benetton and Ferrari, said that Ferrari has agreed to assess the situation next summer.

"My wish and, I'm glad that our president and Jean have agreed to it, is that in the middle of next year we have a meeting to discuss how I feel about my sabbatical and how they feel about how the team's running," he said at Ferrari's end-of-season celebrations in Monza.

"And if it's possible for me to a play a part in the future.

"But I want that to be such that we don't leave a shadow over the people that are now responsible for the position.

"It is very important that we clear the decks for them to get on with the job and show what they can do.

"They are my protégés and nothing would make me prouder to see those guys do a better job than I have been able to do."

Brawn announced last week that he was stepping down as technical director in the wake of Ferrari's management restructure that sees his place taken by Mario Almondo.

Stefano Domenicali also moves up to sporting director as Jean Todt becomes CEO, while engine director Paolo Martinelli, who is moving to parent company FIAT, has been replaced by Gilles Simon.

But with Todt also continuing in his role as the team's MD as an interim solution, Brawn could potentially rejoin the team as principal allowing the Frenchman to concentrate solely on being CEO.