Gerhard Berger

Gerhard Berger’s Formula 1 Career Overview

Early Years and Entry into Formula 1

• Born: August 27, 1959, in Wörgl, Tyrol, Austria.
• Career Start: Began his career in motorsport racing in the German Formula Three championship.
• First Grand Prix: Made his Formula 1 debut in the 1984 Austrian Grand Prix with the ATS team.

The Benetton Years

• 1986 Season: Berger’s first full season in F1 was with Benetton-BMW. Despite reliability issues, he managed to secure his first career victory at the Mexican Grand Prix.
• 1987 Season: Continued with Benetton, showing promising performances but marred by the car’s lack of reliability.

Move to Scuderia Ferrari

• 1987-1989: Joined Ferrari and achieved notable success, including wins at Suzuka and Adelaide in 1987. However, struggled against the dominant McLarens driven by Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.
• Monza 1988: Achieved a poignant victory at the Italian Grand Prix, shortly after the death of Enzo Ferrari.

Partnership with McLaren

• 1990-1992: Berger moved to McLaren to partner with Ayrton Senna. While he managed several wins, he was often overshadowed by Senna’s brilliance.

Return to Ferrari and Later Years

• 1993-1995: Returned to Ferrari but struggled with the team’s internal issues and the car’s performance.
• 1994 Season: Third in the World Championship but still far behind the leading drivers.
• 1996-1997: Finished his F1 career with Benetton, achieving his final victory at the 1997 German Grand Prix.

Career Stats

• Involvements: 211 races with 210 starts and 1 non-start.
• Wins: 10 (4.76% of starts).
• Pole Positions: 12 (5.71%).
• Fastest Laps: 21 (10.00%).
• Podiums: 48 (22.86%).
• Retirements: 95 (45.24%).
• Points: Scored a total of 385 points, averaging 1.83 points per Grand Prix and 27.50 points per season.
• Best World Championship Ranking: 3rd in 1988 and 1994.
• Total Laps Led: 748 laps, covering 3,687 km.
• Total Laps Raced: 9,793 laps, covering 45,649 km.

1. World Championship Rank Over the Years: This line chart shows how Beltoise’s ranking in the World Championship varied throughout his career. Notably, his best rank was 5th in the 1969 season.
2. Points Per Season: This bar chart displays the points Beltoise scored each season. The most successful year in terms of points was 1969, aligning with his best World Championship rank.
3. Wins and Podiums Comparison: Here, the comparison between his total wins and podium finishes each year is illustrated. While wins were rare in his career, he achieved a notable number of podiums.
4. Retirement Statistics: This line chart depicts the number of times Beltoise retired from races each season, highlighting the challenges and reliability issues he might have faced during his career.

Post-Racing Career

• BMW Motorsport: Worked with BMW Motorsport from 1998 to 2003, playing a key role in BMW’s victory at the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans and their return to Formula 1 as engine suppliers for Williams.
• Toro Rosso: In 2006, Berger acquired a 50% stake in the Toro Rosso team, which he later sold back to Dietrich Mateschitz in 2008.

Legacy

• Berger is remembered as a talented driver who consistently competed against some of the greatest names in F1 history, such as Prost, Senna, and Schumacher. His career was marked by both high achievements and struggles, reflecting the challenges of competing at the top level in Formula 1.