Gerhard Berger

Career

Gerhard Berger was born in Wörgl, Austria, where his father Johann owned a truck company. Berger worked there and later became a driver. After multiple wins in European Formula Three, he entered Formula One with the ATS team. Shortly after the 1984 season ended, Berger survived a serious road accident when his BMW 323i was rammed from behind and cartwheeled off a cliff near Salzburg.

Not wearing a seatbelt, he was thrown through the rear window. Two surgeons specializing in back injuries happened to be first on the scene; they ensured he was not moved until special equipment arrived. He underwent emergency surgery in Innsbruck and made a full recovery. A full season with Arrows followed, but the Arrows A8 chassis hindered both Berger and teammate Thierry Boutsen from exploiting the BMW M12 engine's power.

Berger scored 3 points in the last two races of the year, finishing 20th in the championship. Joining Benetton in 1986 marked a turning point. The Benetton B186, with its BMW turbo engine producing 1400 bhp in qualifying and a clever Pirelli tyre strategy, allowed Berger to win his first Grand Prix in Mexico. He was leading the Austrian Grand Prix comfortably before a flat battery forced him to pit.

Berger out-qualified teammate Teo Fabi 12–4 that season, though Fabi took pole at the Österreichring and Monza. Berger recorded the season's fastest speed trap at Monza, 351.22 km/h, the highest straight-line speed achieved by a turbocharged car in the first turbo era.

Off-track activities

During his McLaren years from 1990 to 1992, Berger became known for his practical jokes, often targeting teammate Ayrton Senna. Senna accepted the challenge, and team manager Ron Dennis spurred both on. At Monza, while riding in a helicopter, Senna showed off a new carbon-fibre briefcase, claiming it was virtually indestructible. Berger opened the helicopter door and threw the briefcase out.

Before the 1990 Australian Grand Prix, after dinner, Berger and others began throwing people into a swimming pool. Senna ran away, but later threw a glass of water at Berger. Berger then improvised an extension to a fire extinguisher with a hose and, at three in the morning, put it under Senna's room door. In an Australian hotel, Berger filled Senna's bed with frogs.

An infuriated Senna confronted Berger, who asked, 'Did you find the snake? Senna retaliated by placing strong-smelling French cheese in the air conditioning unit of Berger's room.

After retirement from racing

After his time as a driver, Berger stayed in the paddock as BMW's Competitions Director until 2003, helping guide their Formula One comeback. He was the first person to take a modern F1 car around the new Shanghai circuit, piloting a 2003 Ferrari. On the tenth anniversary of Ayrton Senna's death, he completed three laps at Imola in Senna's 1985 Lotus before the San Marino Grand Prix. In 2006, he bought half of Scuderia Toro Rosso, a team that later claimed its maiden win with Sebastian Vettel. He sold his stake back to Red Bull in 2008. Berger then chaired the FIA Single Seat Commission from 2012 until late 2014. In 2017, he took over as chairman of ITR, the organisation running the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters.

Helmet

Berger started with a blue helmet featuring yellow lines, plus azure and white touches near the visor. For his first Benetton stint in 1986, he switched to a design that matched the team's BMW livery. The following year, his helmet became a dark grey-blue, with the Austrian flag on each side. At the 1995 Portuguese Grand Prix, he wore a lid covered in various national flags, its top painted like the Austrian flag and "NO WAR IN THE WORLD" on the back, created from a fan competition winner. In 1996, he returned to his original look but turned the Austrian flag sideways.