SIR RICHARD BRANSON will decide after the final race of the Formula One season whether his Virgin Group will continue as a sponsor of the victorious Brawn GP team.

Virgin agreed to sponsor the team just before the season began in March, just weeks after Brawn had secured their survival in the wake of Honda’s decision to pull out of the sport.

The decision paid off as Jenson Button took the drivers’ championship for Brawn, with his efforts and those of team-mate Rubens Barrichello also enough to take the constructors’ title.

The season concludes on November 1 in Abu Dhabi, and Branson yesterday said Virgin would consider whether to renew their deal for next season and beyond.

“It was the perfect relationship,”

said Branson. “Virgin loves to support an underdog, but they are now one of the most expensive teams out there and certainly not underdogs any more.

“But we will make an announcement in the next month, but at the moment we just want to celebrate a magnificent season with the Brawn team, Jenson and Rubens Barrichello, who did fantastically also.

“We were absolutely delighted to get involved with them when they didn’t have any money before the Melbourne race.

“It enabled them to prove that they had a great car and great drivers and they’ve obviously gone on to fantastic things.”

The team’s success has come as a pleasant surprise to Branson, who added: “I don’t think in our wildest dreams we thought this would happen.

“But when I got on a plane to Melbourne with some Virgin stickers in my bag, having just shaken hands and given them some money, the last thing I expected was a first and second in the championship race.”