Monday January 10th, 2000

By Timothy Collings

Gerhard Berger today suggested he would welcome a young hopeful to drive for the new BMW-backed Williams Formula One team if owner Frank Williams decided to let Italian veteran Alex Zanardi leave.

Austrian Berger, who contested 195 Grands Prix in his long career with Arrows, Benetton, McLaren and Ferrari, is now sporting director for BMW and briefed to help kick-start the Anglo-German team.

Asked at the team launch if he thought it was risky for Williams to consider signing 19-year-old Briton Jenson Button as the team's second driver alongside German Ralf Schumacher, Berger said: "No, I don't think so -- actually I like this idea a lot."

Berger said he would welcome the challenge of helping to prepare Button for the massive leap from competing in British Formula Three to Formula One.

Berger said: "I have met this guy and he is full of spirit. He has quite good results from the past and I have no problems with the idea of signing him.

"We have a very strong number one driver for this year in Ralf and so why should we not take a risk with the second one.

"It's Frank's decision, but we are discussing it and it could happen. Alex is still under contract and is talking with us, but he was very unhappy with last year's car and he wants to know why."

Williams failed to win a race last year and suffered their worst season for a decade. They have not won a race for more than two years.

"Alex wants to know the reasons," said Berger. "But the idea of having these youngsters testing against each other in Spain is good."

Berger said that, like Button, he made the jump from Formula Three to Formula One. "I did it, Martin (Brundle) did it and Ayrton (Senna) did it," he said. "If we can do it and if he has the talent, he can do it too."