Berger undecided on BMW future

BMW motorsport boss Gerhard Berger has hinted that he is most likely to stay on in the role if the manufacturer chooses to build its own Formula 1 car for 2004

The German make is to decide within the next six weeks whether it will continue in F1 as simply an engine partner or enter its own team with a BMW-built car.

Berger's contract with BMW expires this year and the former driver has yet to decide whether he wishes to renew his contract.

"It depends on what is going to happen after 2004," the 43-year-old said on Austrian TV. "If BMW decides to build its own F1 car that would of course be a brilliant challenge and I would sit straight down to negotiate with BMW."

BMW returned to F1 in 2000 and has won five races in the past two seasons as the engine supplier of Williams. The British team hopes to continue its partnership with the make beyond the end of this season, but Berger has admitted that the challenge of helping Williams beat Ferrari is less exciting to him than the prospect of building up an all-new team.

"We have already built the best F1 engine and so our job is 90 percent done. So that would mean a challenge is lacking," he said.

"I'm not doing this job for the money but because motorsport is my life."