Gerhard Berger Interview

By Andrew Hooper
January 31 2003

	Gerhard Berger Interview
	What are the future prospects for Formula One? Gerhard Berger: Formula One is not immune to the global economic downturn. On top of that, there's going to be a European ban on tobacco advertising in a few years' time. Even so, I don't go along with the doom-mongers. Firstly, there is still no sporting event that regularly draws so many television viewers, and secondly, Formula One is now reaching new markets. Races in Shanghai or Bahrain are major opportunities for car manufacturers such as BMW. How will the GPWC manufacturers' association develop? GB: The question of who will have how much power and what kind of authority in Formula One in the future is very complex. I fully appreciate that the car manufacturers are keen to ensure planning stability in the light of their immense investments, but I'm not convinced that a purely democratically structured manufacturers' association can run Formula One. I fear that the competitive situation in the sport and in the market won't allow that in the long term. It would be better for the sport if it continued to be run independently. Having said that, it isn't easy to replace a man like Ecclestone. What are your objectives for the 2003 season? GB: So far we have set ourselves high but realistic targets each year and have consistently achieved them. Unless something suddenly goes wrong at Ferrari, it's unlikely that the BMW WilliamsF1 Team will be World Champions in 2003. But the new BMW engine is again designed to set benchmarks for Formula One in 2003, and we certainly want to see more podium places and wins than last year. We also aim to follow on from the outstanding qualifying performance of 2002, in which Juan Pablo gained seven pole positions. We will have to keep an eye on McLaren for sure, especially now that Mercedes has poached some of our technicians and the team is bound to grow in strength again. What role do the changes in the regulations play? GB: A very crucial one, particularly where qualifying is concerned. If a driver has the possibility of just one flying lap instead of four, as previously, that presents a completely different challenge. For one thing, it will show which driver has the best nerves, and for another, drivers will be at the mercy of the weather. Because Friday's practice times will determine the order in which drivers set out on their final qualifying lap, unpredictable weather conditions or even a gap in the clouds leading to a rise in asphalt temperatures could have a decisive impact. How will the internal rivalry between Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher develop? GB: If two team mates have been together for two years and haven't shown too much difference in their performance, that isn't going to change in the third year. I'm assuming that they will both be on a par again in 2003 and will be up among the front-runners.