Radio Ban is Dangerous, Warns Berger

Former Formula One driver and current BMW motorsport director Gerhard Berger has warned of the danger of banning radio communication between the drivers and their teams.

Formula One's ruling body, the FIA, introduced a series of radical measures aimed at reducing costs last week. Berger said that the ban on traction control will present drivers with a greater challenge but warned the abolition of pits-to-car communication could be dangerous as the teams would be unable to talk to the driver in case of a problem on track.

"Just imagine that there is some oil on the track and we can't tell the drivers," said Berger, a former Ferrari, McLaren and Benetton driver who competed in 210 Grands Prix. "What happens if there's an accident on the track? How are we going to let them know?"

The rule changes will be brought in for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 9 if agreed by the sport's Technical Working Group, which is meeting again today. Berger believes the other rules will spice up race weekends.

"It was about time something changed - the races lately have been a little dull," Berger told Kicker magazine.

The BMW-Williams team will reveal their new car in Barcelona on January 31.