Renault boss Flavio Briatore was spotted wearing “modern Puma shoes” at the European Grand Prix in Valencia, it was reported today.

Briatore, who was also clad in jeans, a Renault corporative shirt and his trademark blue sunglasses, believes that the Formula One World Championship, which will continue this weekend in Belgium, is “distorted” by a lack of homogeneous rules, according to the Taipei Times.

One of the most recognizable recognisable personalities in F1 for more than 20 years, according to the newspaper, the 59-year-old said that officials need to make the sport more enticing and think more about the spectators.

“We have to improve everything, to plan differently, to get television and spectators more interested, to be more energetic, more vital,” he said.

He added that the industry needed to start talking about F1 itself rather than about politics.

The news comes after it was reported that F1 motor racing will not be making a return to South Africa in 2010 as the country has decided against bidding for a race.