Ross Brawn insists natural progression meant it was necessary for him to pass on the ownership of his Formula One World Championship-winning team to Mercedes.

On Monday, German car giant Mercedes-Benz announced they would take a 75.1% share in Brawn GP, with the team re-named as Mercedes Grand Prix and Brawn remaining as team principal.

Brawn, who launched the team from the ashes of Honda's Formula One withdrawal in December 2008, contemplated continuing as Brawn GP, but conceded the sale was necessary to ensure future success.

"At some stage as a team owner you have to pass it on," he told The Independent.

"I'm almost 55 and I'm not planning to do a Bernie (Ecclestone, the Formula One rights holder who is aged 79).

"It was tempting to try to repeat this year's success (as Brawn GP) but it would have been an awful risk.

"We were already working with their (Mercedes') engine group and all the stars aligned.

"It was an opportunity to give the team a very strong future."

It was not an easy decision, said Brawn, after a fairytale year which saw the team claim both the constructors' and drivers' titles, with Jenson Button triumphing behind the wheel.

Brawn added: "As I said to the staff, it's sad to see the team only in existence for a year, but what a year!

"We've had a wonderful time, and in many ways it was a difficult decision, but now we've joined the most prestigious brand in the automotive world."

Since the announcement, Button has moved to McLaren for an all English line-up with Lewis Hamilton, his predecessor as world champion.