“I can't rule out a return. Let's put it this way: if one day the right conditions for a return are on the table, then I could consider the possibility of coming back. Otherwise I can easily go skiing. I might have lost something, but I still have enough to pay for my dinner tonight,” said Berger.
However, the Austrian admitted it was a tough call selling his Toro Rosso shares after their 2008 campaign – in which the team has recorded its maiden pole position & win in Formula 1 – but argued that the Scuderia would have no chance to progress in 2009 following the new technical updates. Berger also admitted this was the main argument that convinced him to step down as team owner inside the Great Circle.
“The only way to carry on with our project was the synergy. With that lacking, it was clear for me that I couldn't carry on with Red Bull. This year we had already used 100% of the budget at our disposal. Besides that, we had improved our performance and finished sixth in the constructors championship. At this point, for me, the next step was challenging Renault and Toyota.”
“But to do that I needed more funds and Red Bull wasn't prepared for that anymore. At this point I understood the time to quit had come for me, even though on fully friendly terms. Let's keep in mind that having 100% of Toro Rosso can make the sale easier. If the rules don't change, I think that the only thing Red Bull can do is focus on just one team,” added Berger.
Toro Rosso are still to announce their drivers' lineup for 2009, with 3 drivers – Sebastien Bourdais, Takuma Sato and Sebastien Buemi – fighting for the 2 racing seats during the next Jerez testing meeting. Buemi will go ahead and test for the entire 3 days of the Spanish session, while Bourdais and Sato will share seats during the Jerez weekend.
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