Following claims from former Ferrari employee Nigel Stepney that Ross Brawn was to lead a breakaway team, Brawn himself has denied he had any plans to defect from Ferrari to join another team.

Ross Brawn is currently on a year’s sabbatical following a long stint as technical director at Ferrari. On Tuesday, Nigel Stepney claimed that Brawn acted as ringleader of a small group of disgruntled workers who wanted to take their skills elsewhere.

“Ferrari is the only team or group with whom I have discussed by future,” Brawn began. “All the press articles that link me with other teams are either inaccurate or just speculative. After 30 years in motor racing, I wanted to dedicate some time to my family and to pursue personal ambitions that I have been unable to do. After ten fantastic years, the people and the culture of Ferrari and Italy are in my heart – Ferrari is my team.”

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