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.

Sir Jack Hayward took a parting shot at the foreign invasion of English football as he formally handed over ownership of Wolverhampton Wanderers to Steve Morgan for a token £10 yesterday. “I think the way the clubs are going into foreign hands is very bad indeed,” Hayward said.

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