From GMM

Flavio Briatore will commence legal action in Paris on Monday to challenge the FIA's imposition of his lifetime ban, a French newspaper reported on Sunday.

The former Renault boss is also seeking a million euros in damages from the FIA according to the action to be filed in Paris' Tribunal de Grande Instance, the Journal du Dimanche said.

His lawyers will reportedly base his case on European Union law and the principles of the European Court of Human Rights.

The report said Briatore, who has never admitted any involvement in the crash-gate scandal, is challenging particularly the fact that no time limit on his penalty has been set.

His friend and F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone agrees, observing: "Giving somebody life -- they don't even do that for murder."