London, Jan. 27 : Portuguese and Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo believes footballers are like cars when it comes to value – the sleeker and more sophisticated the model, the higher the price.

The World Player of the Year believes he is in the “super car” bracket of players who are worth 100 million pounds.

Portimao, Portugal - Testing on the Portuguese Algarve draws to a close Thursday for five Formula teams with Renault's Nelson Piquet Jr saying the top teams are beatable this season and Toyota's Timo Glock believing he can be one of the top five drivers in 2009.

"It's going to be a very interesting season. There have been countless changes such as new wheels, new aerodynamics and the KERS system," Piquet Jr said.

"Whichever team works hard and gets used to the new rules faster will definitely have an advantage."

Portimao, Portugal - The mood has been sober during Formula One testing this week on the Portuguese Algarve with many of those involved in the sport more concerned about merely making it through the 2009 season than the upcoming battle for championship points.

"It's about surviving," said Renault team principal Favio Briatore candidly at the circuit in Portimao, where testing by five F1 teams continues until Thursday. "We have never had such a critical moment as this one."

Portimao, Portugal  - If his optimism and his coolness are anything to go by, Fernando Alonso has half a Formula 1 title - the third of his personal count - in his pocket already, even before the 2009 season starts on March 29 in Australia.

In southern Portugal, where the year's first joint tests were being held until Thursday, only one word could take away the Spaniard's smile: Ferrari.

"I've been having to answer that question for five years," he complained at a press conference in the brand new Portimao circuit, when asked by a journalist.

Portimao, Portugal  - Formula 1 is going through an unprecedented crisis and is fighting "to survive," in the eyes of key player Flavio Briatore, managing director of the Renault team.

"This is a crucial moment for Formula 1," Briatore warned Monday in the Portimao circuit in southern Portugal.

Following the first day of joint tests, he stressed he wants "to secure the chance to survive the crisis and improve business" in the main category of world motorsport.