Bratches' F1 exit 'imminent' (2nd Update)

Sean Bratches

UPDATE (GMM) F1's commercial director Sean Bratches is set to leave the sport.

We reported last September that an announcement could be "imminent", with Liberty's Chase Carey and Ross Brawn staying put but Bratches set to leave.

Mark Kleinman, Sky News' City editor, believes an announcement could now be made "as early as" this week.

"Sources said that Mr Bratches was unlikely to be directly replaced, with his responsibilities being divided among other senior executives at the company," he said.

Last November, F1 CEO Carey admitted that attracting new sponsors to the sport had been "slower and probably harder than I would have expected".

A spokesman for Formula 1 would not comment.

The bulk of Bratches' career was spent at the American sports channel ESPN and its owner, The Walt Disney Company.

09/05/19 ï»¿F1 Managing Dir of Commercial Operations SEAN BRATCHES is set to "leave F1 at the end of this year," as the commercial structure of the sport "will be revamped over the winter," according to sources cited by Andrew Benson of the BBC.

Bratches, a former Exec VP/Sales & Marketing at ESPN, joined F1 with CEO CHASE CAREY and Managing Dir ROSS BRAWN when the sport was taken over by Liberty Media in '17.

F1 "declined to comment on the contractual position of its three senior managers."

Sources said that Carey and Brawn both are "set to stay in post at a minimum through the first part" of '21. It is "understood that both Carey and Brawn are determined to finish what they started, have strong relationships with Liberty bosses and are minded to stay as long as is needed" BBC.com,

09/04/19 (GMM) Sean Bratches looks set to leave Formula 1.

The BBC has reported that while Liberty Media's F1 CEO Chase Carey and sporting boss Ross Brawn are staying put, commercial chief Bratches is tipped to leave.

Formula 1 declined to comment.

But a source told us that an announcement could be "imminent".

"I have heard it from several sources but they have been telling me this for months and it has come to nothing," the source added.

"I am now hearing that a press release could be sent out in the morning so we may not have to wait long."

The bulk of 59-year-old Bratches' career was spent at the American sports channel ESPN and its owner, The Walt Disney Company.