Gerhard Berger tips nephew for F1 seat

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F1 legend Gerhard Berger thinks his nephew Lucas Auer could be the next Austrian on the Formula 1 grid.

Berger, the former BMW and Toro Rosso chief and a 10-time race winner, has just started his new role as boss of the German touring car series DTM.

And his nephew Lucas Auer started the 2017 season in the best possible way with a win with Mercedes in the series' first round at Hockenheim.

"It's time for a new Austrian Formula 1 star," the former Ferrari and McLaren driver Berger told 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."

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Asked recently about the young Austrian's prospects of reaching the big time, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff isn't denying the possibility if Auer sustains his success.

"Before you run, first you have to learn to walk," Wolff told Krone.

"Should he make the next step, then I trust him to make the leap into Formula 1 as well."

Austria has produced two of Grand Prix racing's most iconic figures of course, with Jochen Rindt, who clinched the title posthumously in 1970, and Niki Lauda who collected three world crowns in 1975, 1977 and 1984.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.