Toro Rosso co-owner Gerhard Berger says the team is not currently in discussions over the sale of the Red Bull-owned half of the outfit as Formula 1’s position on the future of customer cars has not been totally resolved.
Red Bull magnate Dietrich Mateschitz signalled earlier this year he would sell his stake in the Faenza-based squad by 2010, when new rules are expected to come into the sport dictating all squads design and build their own chassis.
When asked on Thursday in Monaco if he had been in talks with the same Middle East investors, Dubai International Capital, which had recently looked at saving the Super Aguri team, Berger insisted he was not speaking to any party.
“Honestly, we are not talking with anybody at the moment,” he said.
“I don't know the people from Dubai.
“Obviously, we are still waiting to see how the situation is in the future with developing the customer car or no customer car.
“I don't think it's totally clear yet how it's going to be in the future.”
Since Mateschitz and Berger bought the Minardi team at the end of the 2005 season, Toro Rosso has been provided with chassis based on Red Bull Racing’s challengers from Red Bull Technologies.
Berger says his fellow Austrian business partner is not interested in sustaining two fully-fledged constructor teams and will sell his 50% share in STR if customer cars are indeed outlawed from 2010
“As Mr Mateschitz says, if customer cars are not going to be allowed as it looks, then he will not be prepared to develop a second team in the same way as he's doing in England and to grow in Italy in the same way and then I think maybe he's going to sell the shares,” he said.
“But I still think it's still a little bit unclear and for this reason we're not having any discussions and we're not in contact with anybody at this moment.”