Briatore Plays Down Rossi Feud

Rossi and Briatore have both been critical of each other's attitudes in recent weeks - with Briatore claiming that Rossi was behaving like a child in 'kindergarten' on bikes.

After being criticised by Rossi about those comments, Briatore has insisted that there is no major personal issue between himself and the fellow Italian - although he has made it clear that he was not impressed by Rossi's apparent belief that people in F1 were afraid of him.

"I don't hold a grudge against Rossi," said Briatore in Gazzetta dello Sport. "I consider Formula One a serious business, while he immediately said it's all easy.

"To me that looked disrespectful to people working in it."

And in a cheeky dig at Rossi, Briatore said he would have no qualms about hiring him for his Formula One team - if he proved to be as quick on four wheels as he was on two.

"If he was fast, why not?" added Briatore. "Maradona was the best footballer in the world, but I don't know if he's good at volleyball. It's not enough to have a ball in the middle."