Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Berger unfazed by customer car row

Scuderia Toro Rosso co-owner Gerhard Berger is adamant that his team's plans to run a customer car this year is perfectly within the rules and says he is 'relaxed' about any legal action that may be taken by rivals against his team

Frank Williams warned Toro Rosso and Super Aguri in last week's meeting of the F1 team principals that he would go to arbitration if the two outfits pressed ahead with plans to effectively chassis-share. Spyker have already made it clear that they too are considering legal action.

But despite the legal threats, and the possibility of a showdown over the situation at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Berger insists that he is not worried about his rivals' feelings.

"Williams or the other competitors are not the people who tell the FIA the rules, and we are not either," he told autosport.com during a visit to the Red Bull Racing launch at Barcelona on Friday.

"At the end of the day, the FIA or a judge has to do it. I am relaxed, because there is nothing I can do about it anyway.

"We are doing what we are doing, we are doing what we believe is right to do, and it is not Williams who can tell us what is right or wrong."

Toro Rosso plan to race a development version of the same RB3 chassis that Red Bull Racing will use this year.

They have got around the regulations that state teams must design and produce their own cars because the chassis is made by an independent company, Red Bull Technology, and not the Red Bull Racing team.

"We think we are in the regulations with what we are doing," said Berger, who confirmed that he had consulted with the FIA about their plans.

"At the end of the day, maybe a judge has to decide if we are right or wrong. But it is definitely not the competitor that has the right to say you are legal or not legal, because it is not his job."

When asked whether he expected his car to be protested in Melbourne, Berger said: "Whatever they do, there is nothing we can do.

"We made the decision a long time ago that we go this route, and we checked very carefully with different legal people, with an open view about everything.

"We got always a similar answer: that the way the regulation is written, how the Concorde Agreement is written, it should fit in perfectly with what we are doing."

Berger said he also believes that rivals Super Aguri, who want to race a development version of Honda Racing's RA106, were within the regulations.

"They are doing it a completely different way, but I don't look too hard because for me we have the FIA, we choose the FIA to look at it.

"I don't want to play the policeman. If Frank likes to play the policeman then fine, but maybe he should be the FIA president then or something.

"So I am totally fine with what Aguri is doing, as long as the FIA find it right. Otherwise they will react.

"Look, who is really complaining? It is Williams and Spyker, and they are both nervous that they will end up behind us."

Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Honda complete first RA107 test
Next article Analysis: Newey surprises with twin keel

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe