From: The Times

Flamboyant Briatore on track to take over at QPR
by
Gary Jacob and Kevin Eason

Flavio Briatore is in advanced talks about taking control of Queens
Park Rangers. The Renault team principal is believed to be considering
a deal worth about £25 million for the club, including taking on the
debt of about £21 million. The flamboyant businessman is not known for
a love of football, although his shrewd brain has given him a unique
place in Formula One. He helped to mastermind the transfer of a
little-known Michael Schumacher and spotted Fernando Alonso, the world
champion.

Briatore is the latest individual – including a consortium involving
Ronny Rosenthal, the former Liverpool forward – that has been
entertained by the Coca-Cola Championship club this summer in an
attempt to ensure that do not fall into administration.

Briatore has promised John Gregory, the QPR manager, about £10 million
to spend on players in Janaury and he is willing to repay the £10
million that is owed to the ABC Corporation, a loan that helped the
club to exit administration five years ago, but has become a noose
because of the hefty repayments. More than £7 million is still owed to
club directors and the HM Revenue and Customs.

Born in Italy, Briatore ran Benetton's operations in the United
States, turning five stores into 800 branches. When Benetton sent him
to Formula One to transform a moribund team he recruited the best –
including Ross Brawn, who later became the technical director of
Ferrari – and snatched a young driver from Jordan. Schumacher won two
world titles at Benetton and a further five with Ferrari.

When Renault bought the Benetton team, Briatore who had briefly left
Formula One returned, and spotted another brilliant talent, Alonso,
who has won two world titles. Away from the track, Briatore, 57, lives
a life reflected in the choice of title for his range of fashion and
nightclub businesses, called simply Billionaire. He has yachts, a
house in Sardinia and an apartment in London.