Nico Rosberg’s F1 breakthrough proves he is ready to fight even for the world championship.

That is the view of former grand prix winner, team boss and co-owner Gerhard Berger, following Rosberg’s first pole and win in China last weekend.

“It surprised not me, but all the others who had doubted him,” the Austrian told Auto Bild Motorsport.

“It was about time. I was worried,” Berger smiled, “because I have always said I thought Nico was faster than Michael (Schumacher).

“Now he is finally where he has belonged for a long time — in the same league as Vettel, Hamilton, Alonso and Button,” he insisted.

“And when the (Mercedes) car is good enough, he is already ready for the world title.”

Berger, then as BMW motor sport director, said he was instrumental in 2002 in convincing Sir Frank Williams to give the then 17-year-old Rosberg his first F1 test.

Also welcoming Sunday’s breakthrough is Nelson Piquet junior, another son of a world champion who actually went to kindergarten with Rosberg in Monaco.

“It’s funny how in F1 things can take so long to happen,” the Brazilian told Globo.

“It took him more than six years to get his first victory, which for me is a long time considering how good a driver he is,” added Piquet, now in Nascar.

Christian Horner on Wednesday said it is “ridiculous” to suggest Mark Webber tried deliberately to take out his rivals after crashing in Sunday’s Korean grand prix.

Former grand prix winner Gerhard Berger said on Tuesday that the Australian “could have hit the brakes” after crashing out of second place during the rain-hit race in Yeongam.

“Yes, I think that’s very clear,” said the Austrian. “It’s very obvious, you can see his wheels are not locked up.”

Webber actually collected the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg, but – according to Berger – he “would have preferred” to wipe title contenders Fernando Alonso or Lewis Hamilton out of the race.

Red Bull team boss Horner responded: “As with every incident in formula one, opinions will always be made without all the facts.

“Just to be absolutely clear — Mark’s intention was not to take out another driver after his crash and it’s ridiculous to suggest otherwise,” he told the Telegraph.

Horner admitted that Webber’s RB6 was “badly damaged” after his initial contact with the wall, but his attempt to keep the car going was a “natural and immediate instinct” to get back into the race.

“It’s absurd to suggest that Mark would ever deliberately take out another driver,” added Horner.

Fernando Alonso is in the same league as two of F1′s greatest recent champions, according to Gerhard Berger.

“There are sometimes those special drivers: Ayrton Senna was one, Michael Schumacher was one, and Alonso is one,” said the Austrian and former grand prix winner.

Berger is uniquely placed to compare Ferrari’s Spanish driver with those greats — he was one of Senna’s closest friends, having raced alongside the late Brazilian at McLaren in the 90s.

And he was a contemporary of Schumacher’s during the seven time world champion’s first F1 career, moving away from Ferrari to make room for the German, and then replacing him for the 1996 season at Benetton.

“They are drivers who can win world championships without having the absolute best car,” Berger told Austrian television Servus TV.

Gerhard Berger has accused Mark Webber of wanting to take out a championship rival after crashing in Sunday’s Korean grand prix.

Australian Webber, who at the time was leading the world championship by 14 points, spun on a wet kerb whilst running second at Yeongam and struck the wall.

But his Red Bull then rolled back across the circuit, collecting the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg.

“I don’t understand why Webber didn’t hit the brakes,” said Rosberg. “It was crazy to roll back across the track like that.”

Former grand prix winner Berger said on Monday: “He could have hit the brakes and stopped the car at the wall.

“He took out Rosberg, but it was the wrong one. I think in his mind he would have preferred Alonso or Hamilton,” the former Ferrari and McLaren driver told Austrian Servus TV.

Asked to clarify whether he thinks Webber’s move was deliberate, Berger – a former co-owner of the second Red Bull team Toro Rosso – added: “Yes, I think that’s very clear.

“He goes off and he knows it’s over. In this moment you’re frustrated and a thousand thoughts go through your head.

“It’s very obvious, you can see his wheels are not locked up. Perhaps he had a brake problem, but I don’t think so.”

Fernando Alonso’s rivals will need to be as “selfish” as the Spaniard to beat him to the 2010 title, according to Gerhard Berger.

Although the former grand prix winner – a close friend of Red Bull mogul Dietrich Mateschitz – believes Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel are in the best car, Berger thinks Ferrari’s Alonso is the better driver.

“Only if they’re as selfish as Alonso will they be world champion this year,” the Austrian is quoted by Sport Bild.

“For me he’s the best driver at the moment overall; he has experience and is still young enough to be going flat out without fear,” added Berger.

Alonso, 29, can also count on the full support of the Ferrari team, whose other driver Felipe Massa has fallen into line behind him.

“Ferrari cannot do better than Alonso, and there is no better place for Alonso than Ferrari,” said Berger, backing the Italian team’s philosophy.

In a separate interview with APA news agency, Berger said Adrian Newey’s RB6 is in a “class of one” in 2010, and dismissed rivals complaints about its legality as “cheap politics”.

Peter Sauber and Gerhard Berger have denied reports the pair are set to share ownership of the Hinwil based formula one team.

With former Sauber owner BMW pulling out at the end of last year, and Berger no longer co-owning the Toro Rosso team, it had been suggested the Austrian former ten time grand prix winner could use the opportunity to return to F1.

But Berger told Auto Motor und Sport: “If Peter Sauber has trouble getting sponsors, then so would I.”

Peter Sauber confirmed: “Gerhard and I have had no contact on this subject.”

More strongly rumoured has been a connection between Sauber and Nicolas Todt, who is Felipe Massa’s manager and the boss of the French GP2 team ART.

“It is true that Todt has some interest, but I told him a few months ago that we are not selling. This is still the current situation,” said Sauber.