Subject to approval by competition authorities, Red Bull will again take over the50% share of the Formula 1 Team Toro Rosso that has been owned by BergerMotorsport since 2006.
The two friends Dietrich Mateschitz and Gerhard Bergerhave led their joint motorsports project, which emerged from the former MinardiTeam, to its greatest success to date. The first win in the team's 25 year historywas celebrated at the Italian Grand Prix together with Sebastian Vettel, one of theRed Bull Driver Search Program's biggest talents. In the Formula 1 WorldConstructors' Championship, the Scuderia Toro Rosso achieved sixth (6) place inthis year's season.
Before Red Bull took over Minardi, the team regularly held the role of "bringing up therear" on the Formula 1 track. The team had to be radically overhauled to fulfill theexpectations of the new owners. As part of this reconstruction, the assignment of 50% ofthe shares to Berger Motorsport was necessary. With this transfer, Gerhard Bergerbrought all his Formula 1 knowledge and connections into the partnership in order tohelp further develop Toro Rosso.
"I am very happy that I can support Didi - who has committed himself to Formula 1 withso much dedication - with the reorganisation of the team and in this process to make useof my knowledge so effectively", said Gerhard Berger.
Didi Mateschitz agrees: "I'm very grateful to Gerhard for his enormous input. Togetherwe have made Toro Rosso a team which, from 2008 onwards, will regularly qualify forthe Top Ten and collect Championship Points".
From the beginning, Red Bull was responsible for the financial and technicaldevelopment of the Team, whereas Gerhard Berger focused on steering the athleticside.
"A 100% financing of a joint project by one partner can only make sense, to my mind, atan initial stage", Gerhard Berger emphasised. "This stage is over now. That's why RedBull will take over the shares again".
"Red Bull will now run Toro Rosso alone on this basis, as well as remaining a partner ofBerger Logistik", added Didi Mateschitz.
