Briatore unimpressed with Ferrari pre-season form

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Former Renault team boss and jet-setter extraordinaire, Flavio Briatore says he doesn't believe that Ferrari has suddenly found a winning form.

The flamboyant Italian would like nothing better than the Scuderia giving Mercedes a run for its money, but he still sees the Silver Arrows outfit at the front of the pack this season.

"I do not share this optimism surrounding Ferrari," Briatore told F1 insider Leo Turrini's Quotidiano blog.

"I understand the feeling after the Barcelona test, but I doubt that the results are reliable.

"I just cannot imagine Mercedes behind, with the margin of advantage they had until the end of November. I think the Germans have been hiding," Briatore said.

"I would settle for a more balanced championship, with competition between different names."

Ecclestone: 'New F1 owners want to 'get rid of Bernie's history'

The 66-year-old also expressed his doubts about Formula 1's new owners, Liberty Media, and their ability to steer and guide the sport into a new future.

"I do not enthuse about Liberty, who bought Formula One but may not know what they have bought," he said.

"They want to make every grand prix like a Super Bowl, but what are they talking about?

"How do you do a Super Bowl in the middle of the Ardennes? Or in Malaysia, between the monsoon and the snakes?"

A very close friend of ousted CEO Bernie Ecclestone, Briatore honored the former supremo's legacy recently with a surprise party in London.

The Italian said he had been appalled by how poorly Ecclestone had been treated by Liberty's executives following their takeover of the sport.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.