Senna in talks to become ‘Mercedes’ driver

UPDATE #2 This rumor is upgrade to 'fact' today. Mercedes-Benz is in talks with Bruno Senna about teaming up for the DTM championship in 2009, Norbert Haug admitted on Wednesday. With Honda said to have elected to sign Rubens Barrichello this season instead of the Brazilian's rookie countryman, the Swiss newspaper Blick recently predicted a move to the German touring car series for Senna, 25. "There are talks but no decision," Haug, in charge of the German marque Mercedes' motor racing programs, told the news agency SID.

03/03/09 Getting more reports that Senna will be a Mercedes DTM driver in 2009 and possibly be a test driver for one of the Mercedes supplied F1 teams.

02/27/09 Rumor has it that Bruno Senna could be headed for the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters 2009 with Mercedes, instead of Formula One. Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug has confirmed that they are negotiating.

"We are in contact. But what it could lead to it too early to say," said Haug to SpeedWeek. Rumors have pointed Senna towards the old, sure to be backmarker, ex-Honda-team, Brackley F1, that most likely is going to be on the F1 2009-grid in a new form.

According to Motorsport-Total there could be a link between the new F1-team and Mercedes as the German manufacturer are looking for the engine deal for the team.

Senna could be positioned as test driver for the "new" F1-team while Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello are reported to get the main drive.

The plan for Senna could be F1-test driver and full time driver for Mercedes in DTM. Reports say that one of the 2008 specification Mercedes C-Class would be assigned to Senna.