Flavio Briatore has broken his silence over his proposed takeover of QPR by confirming he is part of a consortium bidding for the club, but that nothing has yet been signed or sealed and they will not be held to ransom to buy the club.

As I've stated on this site many times, there isn't enough money left in QPR to keep it running for very much longer. This point was always going to come when Caliendo and the board announced they would not be putting any more in and only the sale of Lee Cook has prolonged things to this point.

A serious injection of cash is becoming an increasingly desperate need for Rangers and for that reason fans are becoming more nervous by the day as the proposed purchase of the club by Flavio Briatore drags on towards the end of August. Rumour and counter rumour have flooded message boards but we have at least heard from the man himself today.

At 8.30am this morning Radio Five Live motor racing correspondent and Radio LDN reporter David Croft announced that Flavio Briatore would be making a statement to the media from the Turkish Grand Prix at lunch time today on his intentions for Queens Park Rangers.

At the same time the following statement appeared on the club's official website
Following the recent comments in the press, the Board of QPR announces that it is engaged in discussions with a number of parties that may or may not lead to an offer being made for the entire issued share capital of the Company. The Board will advise shareholders of any further significant developments.

Sure enough come lunch time Briatore met with the media in Turkey ahead of this weekend's grand prix and said: "We are talking. we are a bunch of friends together. If it happens I am very happy, if not I am very happy as well.

"The history behind the club is great and I pass the stadium every time I go to Oxford by helicopter and so I become friendly with the stadium.

"The idea is like any other. I opened the Cipriani (restaurant) in London but I am not in the kitchen to cook. I have the people managing it.

"Formula One is my priority 100 percent, anything else we are doing in a professional way but as a group of friends. Nothing dramatic."

Briatore went on to say he has met with Gianni Paladini once and that negotiations between QPR and his people continue but nothing is yet agreed, signed or sealed contrary to some reports.

The latest reports from the BBC quote Briatore as saying: "We started talking by chance, but there are a lot of people in England talking with QPR now. We have not put in any offer.

"Absolutely nothing formal has been done, but the lawyers are working. We know where we are and what we want to do. If it happens then I will be very happy, but we are not going to go crazy to have this club."

The Guardian says Briatore would keep John Gregory on as manager should he take control.

Photo: Action Images

Colchester United Polls