Prost going to use the same tactic like Ferrari "starting with the old car"

[renaultbel]

According to recent reports Prost will begin their 2002 campaign using last year's car following their announcement that the company has gone into receivership.
Their engine supply from Ferrari could also be in doubt, speculation says, as neither side has confirmed that the two-year deal will continue next year.
Reuters has reported that Prost will not have access to the 2001 power plant because of the delays and instead will have to stick to the outdated 2000 engine. This is expected to be considerably cheaper than the $25 million the most up to date supply is thought to cost.
The team also faces the possibility of key staff leaving while they face such an uncertain future, leaving their technical department down on manpower once their problems are resolved.

[BootsOntheSide]

LOL, now Prost can't afford to design a new car, or pay for new engines. Come to think of it, I doubt they could afford to build a replacement car to 2001 spec if the old one got written off.

[Kenny W.]

At least Minardi have someone to beat now

[Nicholas]

Interesting to see the contrast between two teams using the same strategy...

[Gt_R]

Given that 2001 and 2002, the regulations differ very little, i think Prost would still be able to qualify within the 107% mark. They have one of the more reliable cars on the grid, and performance wise, the chassis needs some upgrading, but they'd do fine. (Arrows did that with 98,99)

I think Prost should just try to scrimp and save for next year, and pool 2 years resource into the 2003 campaign. Keep next year as a survival year.

[racer69]

It worked for Arrows, they used the '98 car in '99 and came out and built a very good car for 2000. Hopefully Prost can turn this current money problems around and survive.

[Nicholas]

Originally posted by Gt_R
Keep next year as a survival year.

Will Frentzen bother?

[Super Tourer]

You have to remember what point Prost is starting from, in that the 2001 car was truly awful, a direct comparison being the Sauber chassis powered by the same Ferrari engine....

If Prost even makes the grid, with qualifying times tumbling year on year, I believe there is a strong possibility that the cars may not
qualify within 107%. The reason is that with Ferrari and Williams pushing each other much harder next year and the tyre companies pushing development further - this directly effects teams like Prost, as the goalposts get moved further away.

The key point about the 107% rule is that is effectively implemented by teams at the front of the grid increasing the gap to the others. By starting with a 2000 engine (if at all) Prost will be even further handicapped. I they also end up with a couple of pay drivers without the neccesary speed this will only exacerbate the situation.

[Maxmil]

Prost really had no choice but to use the old car. If the court had allowed them to incur the expense necessary to field a new car, the existing creditors would have quite rightly raised holy h**l. I can't believe that Prost can get through another season without a substantial, new, equity investor coming into the picture. This will probably mean that Alain, sadly, will lose control of his team.

[Vitesse]

Originally posted by Maxmil
This will probably mean that Alain, sadly, will lose control of his team.

Did he ever have control in a real sense? Sadly, Prost joins the list of great drivers/lousy team bosses.

And, putting an historical spin on this, perhaps he was yet another victim of that peculiarly French obsession to have a national racing car ...