Berger pulled out because Toro Rosso not winning team

Gerhard Berger has revealed that he pulled out of Formula One at the end of last year because it was clear he would not be returning to the podium as a winning constructor.

At the end of the 2008 season, the former Grand Prix winner sold back his 50 per cent share in Faenza based Toro Rosso to Dietrich Mateschitz, despite only a few months prior sharing the top step of the podium with the team's debut winner Sebastian Vettel at Monza.

Asked by Germany's Sport Bild if he regrets the decision to pull out, 50-year-old Berger answered: "No, because while Toro Rosso was planned as Red Bull's junior team, I absolutely wanted to win races.

"With Sebastian Vettel we did that. But then all the concentration was going to be on Red Bull with Toro Rosso going back into the junior role.

"That is not my philosophy," said Berger.

Toro Rosso is currently busily preparing for the 2010 season, in which for the first time the outfit must design and build its own car rather than receiving the design and components from Red Bull Technology in Milton-Keynes (UK).

"Red Bull was financing us and unfortunately I was not in the situation to find sponsors with whom I could bring Toro Rosso to the level of a top team. So it made no sense for me to continue," Berger explained.

"I never want to play second fiddle. If there is no chance for success it's no longer fun for me. Now Christian Horner is having that fun with Red Bull," he added.