Gerard Berger said he is not surprised by the constant discussions in Formula One about race management this year, especially when Niels Wittich is in charge
Formula One's race management has been quite confrontational with the drivers, so much so that the last meeting held between them and Niels Wittich - in charge of the race in Austria - was marked by Sebastian Vettel's exit before the end. Gerard Berger even said that the recent discussions around track decisions are understandable.
The Austrian GP, specifically, generated a lot of controversy because of the strictness of the race management with the track limits, so much so that no less than 43 infractions of this type were recorded over the 71 laps. Max Verstappen even said that the punishments were "a joke", and George Russell criticized the relay that the FIA (International Automobile Federation) has made between Wittich and Eduardo Freitas in 2022.
"I'm not surprised by the discussions that are happening now in Formula 1," the former driver pointed out. Next, Berger spoke specifically about former DTM race director. "Let's put it this way: I know Niels' strengths, but also his weaknesses," he stressed.
Wittich's appointment to Formula 1 came just after the controversial decision of the German touring class in 2021. If the FIA didn't get the regulations right in Abu Dhabi and had an influence on Max Verstappen's title, what happened in the DTM was absurd.
At the start of race 2 of the final round of last year's championship, Kelvin van der Linde deliberately threw his car into Liam Lawson, with whom he was fighting for the title. The New Zealander suffered from suspension problems and made numerous pit-stops throughout the race, finishing 20 laps behind the winner.
Not satisfied, Kelvin decided to target the other title contender: Maximilian Götz, who came into the weekend with few chances, but saw the championship fall into his lap after Kelvin forced a touch and ended up spinning, with a flat tire. With clear title chances due to the abandonment of the other contenders, Götz still counted on Mercedes' team orders to come out with the victory and the surprising DTM title.
Wittich was the race director, but all the drivers' maneuvers on the track were not sanctioned in any way. At the time, the category received a lot of criticism including from Berger himself, who said that as a motorsport fan he "couldn't stand to see artificial position changes." "Both Mercedes' team orders and Kelvin van der Linde's maneuver have hurt the DTM."