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.”
Toro Rosso co-owner Gerhard Berger has suggested the future is looking pretty bleak for his team. The Austrian believes the pinch of the global credit crunch combined with a new regulation that every team must have a car designed and built at its own factory from 2010 could spell the end for Toro Rosso. The team is currently heavily reliant on sister team Red Bull for a helping hand to get its cars on the track. Berger said:
“I would struggle to carry on alone (without Red Bull).I need the backing of a car manufacturer, which isn’t there.”
It would be a shame to see a team that has come on in leaps and bounds forced to pack in.
All the success has gone to Toro Rosso’s head. The Italian Grand Prix winners are consoling themselves at the thought of losing the driver who won the race for them by setting their sights on a former world champion. Team co-owner Gerhard Berger said he was interested in bringing Fernando Alonso to Toro Rosso, but conceded that the Spaniard is currently Formula One’s most sought-after driver. He said: “Of course I am interested (in Alonso). But so is everybody else.”Â
Current team Renault and long-term admirers Ferrari are the favourites to capture Alonso for 2009.
German needs a good performance in Belgium to save his career
BMW technical boss Willy Rampf clearly wasn’t impressed with Nick Heidfeld’s sluggish drive at Valencia a couple of weeks ago. The German qualified in eighth but ended up out of the points, in ninth. “His pace was simply too slow,” Rampf said, not making any effort to honey his words.
Robert Kubica’s seat is assured for 2009 - indeed, BMW may struggle to keep the Pole if he continues to impress - but Heidfeld’s is in serious danger. If Heidfeld doesn’t score any points at Spa this weekend, his fate may be sealed.
No less than five F1 teams are interested in signing GP2 driver Bruno Senna for 2009. They are: Toro Rosso, Honda, Toyota, Williams and BMW Sauber.
Ayrton’s nephew claimed earlier this year that he wasn’t yet ready for F1, but it seems F1 is more than ready to welcome another Senna into its paddock. Think of the publicity his arrival would generate - Wee Bernie Ecclestone must be rubbing his hands at the prospect.
Ayrton Senna’s nephew may graduate to F1 next year
Bruno Senna, the nephew of the late, great Ayrton, is in “intensive talks” with BMW Sauber regarding a test-driver spot in 2009.
Sport Bild claims that the talented young Brazilian, currently competing in GP2, could even replace struggling Nick Heidfeld - we can’t see that happening next year, although Senna’s arrival in F1 is inevitable; think of the huge interest his name alone would generate for the sport.
