F1 pair at fever pitch

Renault F1 boss Flavio Briatore is set to become the new owner of Queens Park Rangers football club of the Coca-Cola Championship.

Current QPR chairman Gianni Paladini said: “Mr Briatore wants to do for QPR what Mohamed Al Fayed has done for Fulham, and turn us into a Premier League Club. It saves this club from liquidation.” According to newspaper reports, Briatore, 57, will wipe out QPR’s £17m debt and invest an extra £100m over three years. 

Meanwhile, Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone continues to be linked with a buy-out of Premiership club Arsenal. “I am still very interested. If I could buy Arsenal I would, but I would want control,” he said.