Berta

The Berta 88 was built along contemporary lines
with its low line sidepod, the airbox can be seen above the engine cover..

Berta is one of the most famous names in Argentinean motorsport, they have produced single seaters and sports cars for many years. Oreste Berta set up his manufacturing business at Cordoba and in the late sixties several FIAT powered cars were built for national racing. Later Berta aimed higher when a F5000, was constructed, it raced in the USA without success. The F1 Berta was built in 1974, it was a conventional device with a nose reminiscent of the Brabham BT34, it was fitted with a Berta V8 which looked very similar to a DFV, sadly a lack of finance precluded it getting past the testing stage. Berta also produced a number of sports cars including in 1970 a DFV powered model, the LR, that showed up very well against European opposition in the Temporada series and in May at the Nurburgring 1000Kms World Sportscar Championship round.

1987 was the first year of the Sudam F3 Championship and the year was totally dominted by the Berta MkIII, it should be noted however that the competition from other manufacturers was very limited with only a single example of the Reynard and Dallara marques on display. Most of the cars were powered by VW engines although a few opted for Renault motors. The MKIII continued into 1988 but was generally no match for the European cars that were now being imported.

The Renault engine and gearbox installation in the Berta 88.

Team manager Alberto Scarazzini examining the tub.

Following on from their success in the 1987 Sudam Championship for 1988, in conjunction with Marc Hessel, a F3 car was built to race in the German Championship.
The chassis was a mix of aluminium honeycomb and carbon fibre with metal panelwork, suspension was conventional. Power came from a Berta-tuned Renault 18 based engine attached to a Meriggi Renault based gearbox.
Argentinean driver Victor Rosso took part in a couple of races where the car ran midfield, the venture was then abandoned. A car also appeared in the Sudam Championship without any great success.


Drivers:

1987	MkIII Enrique Benamo, Daniel Cingolan, Fernando Croceri, Leonel Friedrich, Gabriel Furlán, Juan C. Giacchino, Miguel A. Guerra, Néstor Gurini, Egon Hertzfeld, Guillermo Kissling, Guillermo Maldonado, José Luis Di Palma, Cezar Pegoraro, Ricardo Risatti.

1988	88 Guillermo Kissling, Victor Rosso. MkIII Pedro Bartelle, Daniel Cingolan, Leonel Friedrich, Gabriel Furlán, Néstor Gurini, Guillermo Kissling, Pedro Muffato, José Luis Di Palma, Cezar Pegoraro, Ricardo Risatti, Renato Russo.

1989	88 Luis Belloso, Djalma Fogaça, Elio Seikel. MkIII Guillermo Kissling, Affonso Rangel, Renato Russo.

1990	88 Luis Belloso.