This is surely very big news. But, I do have to say this didn't come as a HUGE surprise. Brawn and MB have been linked ever since they threw an MB power plant in the back of the Brawn car.
To me what is MORE interesting is how MB has decided to move away from McLaren. Those 2 companies, MB and McLaren, have been joined at the hip since the 1995 season. And at one point, I want to say shortly after the '98 season, Mercedes even went so far as to purchase a 40% stake in the McLaren group. Mercedes even went so far as to go into production with McLaren with their SLR supercar. Although, I am not familiar with all of the details of that partnership. It had always seemed that McLaren would somehow turn into the Mercedes-Benz GP team.
So, to me, for the Brawn GP team to be taken over by MB is a HUGE slap in the face for the McLaren Group. No doubt the decision being influenced by the 2 "transgressions" the McLaren F1 Team had with the regulations, over the past 18 months or so. Sounds like MB wanted a team that didn't have the "baggage" of the Maccas. Something they could mold into the image they are looking for, and maybe not a team with "issues" with their credibility.
Oh and yeah, the Brawn team did win the WDC and the WCC. That might have counted for something
Sure hope the folks @ Brawn have a chance to line their pockets. And not just the higher ups. Hopefully the rank and file see something good from this too.