Berger would sign Wehrlein over Bottas

Gerhard Berger believes Mercedes should take a risk by signing Pascal Wehrlein instead of Valtteri Bottas for this year’s championship.

According to reports it is only a matter of time before Mercedes confirm Bottas as Nico Rosberg’s replacement.

Wehrlein, meanwhile, is expected to join Sauber.

However, former F1 driver Berger reckons Mercedes should take a chance on Wehrlein, a member of their young driver programme.

“I would have taken Wehrlein because I would be underlining my own young driver programme,” he told Auto Motor und Sport.

“Wehrlein always left a convincing impression in this programme.

“How good he really is you will only see when you put him in a top car.”

The Austrian does acknowledge that Wehrlein is the riskier of the two but feels that Bottas has not done enough to say without a doubt that he is the best choice.

He added: “Wehrlein is certainly a risk compared to Bottas.

“Therefore, maybe the clever solution is not the always the obvious and first choice.

“I hold Bottas in high esteem. He’s quick, a good team player, a nice person and he has earned the chance to prove himself.

“On the other hand he didn’t destroy Massa enough for us to be saying: He’s the right choice.”