Gerhard Berger has tipped his nephew Lucas Auer to be the next Austrian to make it into Formula 1, with the twenty-two-year-old currently impressing in the DTM Series with Mercedes-Benz.
Auer started the new DTM campaign off in a perfect manner by taking both pole position and the race victory in race one at the Hockenheimring last Saturday, and Berger, the new boss of DTM believes it is time for Austria to be represented on the Grand Prix grid once more – Christian Klien was the last Austrian to race in Formula 1 back in 2010 when he participated in a handful of races with the now defunct HRT outfit.
“It’s time for a new Austrian Formula 1 star,” said Berger to Krone newspaper. “I think we will not have to wait a long time now.
“If Luki delivers a season with consistent top performances in the DTM, I believe he will get the chance.”
Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsports Toto Wolff agrees that Auer could make the jump into Formula 1, providing he makes the step to the next level in DTM, which would mean him having both a consistent and a strong campaign.
“Before you run, first you have to learn to walk,” said Wolff to Krone. “Should he make the next step, then I trust him to make the leap into Formula 1 as well.”
