Berger, Tost and Ascanelli to Force India?
Gerhard Berger could be set for a rapid return to Formula 1, mere days after it was announced he has pulled his 50% share out of the Toro Rosso team.
According to speculation in the German-speaking press, the 49-year-old Austrian, and his countryman and Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost, have been linked with Force India.
Force India, led by the Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya, recently inked a wide-ranging technical partnership with McLaren-Mercedes, and ousted chiefs Colin Kolles and Mike Gascoyne.
The Munich newspaper TZ said Berger, a former McLaren driver, has met several times with F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone in the past few weeks.
It is suggested that Berger could bring the highly experienced engineer Giorgio Ascanelli with him from Toro Rosso, which is likely to be sold or closed down by Red Bull.
The final rumour, meanwhile, is that Berger could become the rising German talent Sebastian Vettel’s manager. The pair collaborated closely at Toro Rosso in 2008 and are said to be keen to remain united.
Vettel has previously insisted he does not need a manager, but told TZ: “If the right person comes along, I would not say no.”
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Wait. Why would Red Bull buy a 50% stake in a team just to close it down?
That would be some coup by Force India if they got all three of these very experienced gentlemen.
Interesting though, that Vettel has not had a manager to date, and that he now considers Berger. Didn’t Berger do without a manager for much, if not all of his F1 career?
Speculation OVERLOAD! Are there any facts with which this has been based on? I doubt Vettel would have Berger as a manager, he’s done pretty well as it is without one. What benefit would having Berger onboard provide?
Hmmm. GMM. Take this one with a grain (or two) of salt. Tom made a very good point. Surely, Red Bull could’ve gotten what it wanted from STR without getting rid of it?
I think they will sell it. Nobody buys something to close it immediatley.
The rumour of Force India and Vettel can be true.