Scuderia Toro Rosso has announced a new 50% partner, effective immediately: half the shares of the Italian Formula 1 team have been taken over by Gerhard Berger's motorsport company.

The 46-year-old Tyrolean is contributing his entire personal knowledge and experience of Formula 1, accumulated over two decades, to the fledgling racing team: between 1984 and 1997 he competed in 210 Formula 1 races, finishing among the top three in 48 races and winning ten times. From 1998 to 2003 Berger was Motorsport Director at BMW, where his successes included winning the Le Mans 24 Hours, Sebring 12 Hours and leading BMW to the front of the Formula 1 premier class in 2000, the year of its comeback.

50% of the shares of Berger's shipping company are also changing hands: they will be transferred to Red Bull. The new joint shipping company will be involved as appropriate when assigning worldwide logistics contracts for freight and transport.

Gerhard Berger will be personally involved in the activities of Scuderia Toro Rosso and be available in an advisory capacity with regard to Red Bull's overall Formula 1 engagement. These mutual partnerships are based on the strong longstanding relationship between Gerhard Berger and Dietrich Mateschitz.

"Three birds with one stone!" said Berger. "The involvement of a company like Red Bull is an important milestone for the Berger shipping company and for its successful future development. On the other hand, I am aware that my Formula 1 know-how is very much valued by Red Bull in general and by the Italian Toro Rosso team in particular. Last but not least I'm looking forward to not only continuing to have a great time with Dietrich Mateschitz, but also to being able to implement serious and visionary business developments together in the future."

"I have known and admired Gerhard for twenty years," said Dietrich Mateschitz. "18 years ago, he was the first top athlete to drink Red Bull and therefore to make a significant contribution to our growth and to the brand in Austria. I am particularly pleased that we will now be able to take advantage of the synergies that undoubtedly exist between us also for joint business activities."