Berger Leaves Door Open for Future Return

Gerhard Berger is not ruling out returning to work in Formula One after announcing yesterday that he would stand down as motorsport director of Williams' Formula One partner BMW in September to spend more time with his family.

The retired Formula One driver told a news conference at the Australian Grand Prix that he had decided to put his private life first but left the door open to a future return.

"Motor sport was my world, I spent half of my life there, so it's hard to quit," said the Austrian. "But sometimes you have to set priorities in your life and I have decided to put my private life first. It may not be so forever, it could be that after some time I come back."

Berger, 43, raced in Formula One from 1984 to 1997 for Ferrari, McLaren, Benetton, ATS and Arrows and won 10 Grands Prix. His current contract with BMW expires on September 30. BMW said in a statement that Mario Theissen, who has shared responsibilities with Berger, would remain as the carmaker's sole motorsport director.

"With his wealth of experience and connections, Gerhard Berger was the ideal man to fill the post," said BMW board member Burkhard Goeschel. "But we accept that, after all his years in motorsport, he now wants some more time to devote to private things. There will not be a successor...in this post."