After graduating from school, Berger did an apprenticeship as a motor vehicle mechanic. In 1978 he made his debut as a racing driver. This was followed by participation in the International Alfasud Cup. He took part in the European Touring Car Championship with a BMW. His career as a racing driver led him to Formula 3. On August 19, 1984, Gerhard Berger switched to the premier class of automobile racing, to Formula 1. From this year, 1984, he drove his first Formula 1 for the German ATS team -Run. The following year he drove an Arrows BMW in this ranking.

Gerhard Berger completed all 16 Grand Prix races and was able to get his first world championship point. The following year, 1986, he was signed to Benetton-BMW. There he achieved the greatest success of his career: he achieved third place at the Imola Grand Prix. Afterwards, Berger changed racing teams again. From 1987 he started for Ferrari. It was his most successful season with two wins. He came fifth in the drivers' world championship standings. The following year the racing driver improved further.

In the World Championship Drivers' Championship he took third place behind the Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna and the Frenchman Alain Prost. In 1989, Berger had a serious accident at the Imola Grand Prix. He suffered burn injuries to his hands. Gerhard Berger was able to claim four Grand Prix victories within three years. In 1990, the Austrian drove under contract with McLaren, becoming a teammate of the famous Ayrton Senna. This season Berger was able to maintain his performance and finished third in the world championship standings.

After just three racing seasons, Berger left the McLaren team and moved back to Ferrari. In the 1994 season he was just as successful as in 1990 and finished third in the drivers' world championship standings. In front of him were the German pilot Michael Schumacher and the Briton Damon Hill. In 1995, Berger left Ferrari and then drove for the Benetton Renault racing team. He took the place of Michael Schumacher, who in return was signed by Ferrari. In 1996, Berger slipped to sixth place in the world driver rankings at the end of the season. In 1997 he won the German Grand Prix at the Hockenheim Ring.

That same year, his father died in a plane crash. He then became the majority owner of the Austrian logistics company Berger. A company that was founded in 1961 by his father, Johann Berger. Berger then announced the end of his active career as a racing driver. His track record includes a total of 210 races, of which he won 10 events. He took pole position 13 times and collected 385 championship points. After his resignation, he became motorsport director at BMW, which returned to Formula 1 with Williams in 2000. There he led the BMW Williams F1 team until 2003, with Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya as drivers.

With Gerhard Berger as motorsport director, BMW became runner-up in the constructors' championship. In the fall of 2003 he withdrew into private life. From 2006 to 2008 he returned to Formula 1 as team manager of the new Toro Rosso racing team.

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