SEPTEMBER 10, 2003

Berger is off - or is he?

There has been quite a fuss in recent days about Gerhard Berger's "retirement" from Formula 1. Berger stepped down as head of BMW Motorsport earlier this year but remained involved in the company's negotiations with Williams. Berger's five-year contract with BMW has not been renewed and so after nearly 20 years in the sport Gerhard is planning to spend some more time with his family. Berger says that he wants to help rebuild his father's trucking company but he has left the door open for future F1 employment.

"We will see how much I miss motor racing," he said. "Should I not be happy without F1 I will have to look out for another job in the circuit."

Berger's name has been linked in the past to plans for an F1 project from the giant Volkswagen group but those rumors have gone quiet in recent months.