Gerhard Berger, who at the beginning of the season tipped reigning champion Kimi Raikkonen to defend his title, has now changed his mind.

"Now I would put my bets on Lewis Hamilton," the Austrian former grand prix winner, who co-owns the Toro Rosso team, told Germany's Sport Bild magazine.

Berger points not only to Raikkonen's recent struggle with his Ferrari over a qualifying lap, but also rumours that the Finn is battling with waning motivation.

"I must admit, he has disappointed me," Berger explained. "I don't think he has enough now to beat Hamilton."

Berger, a Ferrari driver over two tenures in the 80s and again in the 90s, does not even think Raikkonen would benefit from the advice of former team boss Cesare Fiorio, who believes Maranello's current chiefs should appoint a number one driver for the remaining races of the season.

"You have to specify the hierarchy from the beginning of the season, not in the middle," he said.

Berger believes Hamilton, clearly the prominent driver at McLaren at the moment, has an advantage also for this reason.

Source: GMM