Niki Lauda says the chances of Ross Brawn staying at Mercedes next year is 50-50, but has guaranteed his team principal No.1 status if he does.

Brawn’s future has been the subject of speculation ever since the start of the season when Toto Wolff joined as executive director and laid in place a deal to bring McLaren technical director Paddy Lowe to the team. Mercedes already had a top-heavy technical team and Lowe’s arrival was click here for more