Berger backs sweeping changes at Mercedes

Feb.7 (GMM) Gerhard Berger has backed the recent sweeping management changes at Mercedes.

Since the end of the 2012 season, Norbert Haug has been ousted, Lewis Hamilton has taken Michael Schumacher's place in the cockpit, and new chairman Niki Lauda has bought a 10 per cent stake in the Brackley based team.

Moreover, Toto Wolff has switched his allegiance from Williams to Mercedes, taking up the role of executive director and control of a 30pc stake.

The next change could be the arrival for 2014 of McLaren's highly rated technical director Paddy Lowe.

"I think Mercedes had to change something," Berger, the former F1 driver and BMW and Toro Rosso official, told Austrian Servus TV.

"The performance and results in the past few years were not good enough. They won a race last year, but the bottom line for Mercedes was not enough."

Berger also said the driver pairing of Hamilton alongside Nico Rosberg is "definitely" better than before, but ruled out returning from retirement himself to add yet another new face at Mercedes.

"I don't think I want that stress again," said the former BMW motor sport director and Toro Rosso co-owner.

"If you want to do Formula One, whether as a driver or a manager, you can only do it with a full programme.

"One should never say never, but I feel very comfortable with what I'm doing now," added Berger.