Energy drinks giants now owns 100% of STR

Red Bull has bought Gergard Berger’s 50% stake in Toro Rosso. Berger (pictured above, with Seb Vettel) had bought the stake from Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz in 2006, after the Austrian billionaire had purchased the ailing Minardi team and rebranded it.

The sale could spell the beginning of the end for Toro Rosso, who overperformed in 2008. Berger wanted to get out before Toro Rosso started to slip towards the back of the grid.

“The new rules leave no room for improvement for a small team as STR,” the former McLaren driver told Autosport.

“Also, Dietrich’s interest will focus on Red Bull Racing, therefore the support for STR will become smaller and prevent the team from improving further from sixth.”

Mateschitz can’t maintain two healthy teams, surely, so it seems he has bought back Toro Rosso with the sole intention of selling it.

Looks like Seb Vettel left the team at the right time.

In other STR news, it now seems likely that Takuma Sato will partner Seb Buemi in 2009, leaving no seat for the unfortunate Sebastien Bourdais. Sato has major backing from his native Japan, whereas the Frenchman has no such sponsorship.