Prost on the brink?
The Prost Grand Prix team is once again rumoured to be on the verge of folding, according to sources in the Suzuka paddock.
The beleaguered French outfit looked to have been saved by a deal with former driver Pedro Diniz, whose family bought into the team at the beginning of the 2001 season. The package was supposed to have allowed Diniz to learn the ropes of team management before eventually taking over the reins, but now appears to have foundered over a falling out with current boss Alain Prost.
The Prost Grand Prix team is once again rumoured to be on the verge of folding, according to sources in the Suzuka paddock.
The beleaguered French outfit looked to have been saved by a deal with former driver Pedro Diniz, whose family bought into the team at the beginning of the 2001 season. The package was supposed to have allowed Diniz to learn the ropes of team management before eventually taking over the reins, but now appears to have foundered over a falling out with current boss Alain Prost.
The Frenchman was not present in Japan this weekend, fuelling speculation that he was at home, attempting to put together another rescue package for the team. Rumours of financial strife have abounded all season, with speculation that the team could not pay Ferrari for its engines, and that Jean Alesi left because he had not been paid for several months.
Although Prost has denied that there is any problem, rival team boss Paul Stoddart has told Reuters that he believes that the team is on the brink of collapse because of lost sponsorship deals.
A rumoured deal with Saudi Arabian Prince Al Waleed now appears to be on the back burner as the world tightens its belt in the face of global recession and war on terrorism.
