Gerhard Berger has now issued a clearer denial to rumours that he is planning to sell his stake in the Toro Rosso team to a German car maker.
It was suggested in Malaysia this weekend that F3 and DTM race car builder HWA were launching a $150m bid for Berger’s 50 per cent share, sparking a predictably light-hearted reaction from the Faenza based team’s press office.
Former GP winner Berger, however, only insisted that he didn’t “want to talk about it”.
But he has now told the Kleinen Zeitung newspaper that he and co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz have “completely different plans” for the outfit formerly known as Minardi.
“Our long term vision,” Austrian Berger said, “is to bring this team that was once on the very last positions on the grid into a good position.”
Berger said he is not surprised that speculation has already linked Toro Rosso with potential buyers including HWA and, previously, Michael Schumacher.
He insisted: “Many people, including our rivals, can see that we are a team with large potential.”
