F1 Costs are 'Crazy', Says Peugeot Boss

The cost of scoring a single point in Formula One has reached crazy levels and more manufacturers may decide it has become too expensive, Peugeot's motorsport chief said on Friday.

"Two teams are sharing the victories with four cars," Corrado Provera told Reuters at the British rally, where Peugeot hope to add the drivers' title to the manufacturers' one they have already clinched.

"That leaves two cars which remain capable of scoring points and the cost of each point is becoming crazy...This is the real reason why we have decided to get out of it."

Peugeot provided works engines for the Prost team but quit the sport at the end of last season after selling out to Asian Motor Technologies (AMT), who will provide a Peugeot-based engine to Arrows in 2001.

Provera insisted Peugeot's lack of success -- Prost failed to win a point in 2000 -- was not the reason for the company's departure in a season in which all 17 races were won by champions Ferrari or McLaren.

The two teams scored 322 points between them, while Williams, third in the championship, managed to take just 36. Both McLaren and Ferrari each scored more points than the remaining nine teams added together.

"The McLaren and Ferrari level is so high and will remain so high because these two teams have only one target -- to kill the other one," said Provera.

Expensive Peanuts

"So what could remain for the other competitors? Peanuts. Too expensive peanuts."

"We do believe that our decision is sad but compulsory and maybe some other important manufacturers will realise that ... being used as co-actors to somebody else's triumph is a little bit too expensive."

Ford, through Jaguar, BMW with Williams, Renault as owners of Benetton and Honda with involvement in Jordan and BAR, are other manufacturers in Formula One apart from Fiat-owned Ferrari and Mercedes-engined McLaren.

Sauber and Prost are using Ferrari V10s next season while Minardi, who have scored one point in the last five seasons, have yet to find an engine and could be forced out of Formula One.

Provera said he had expected the 2000 Formula One season to be bad, but it had turned out worse.

"This has been an awful year because we have known since the end of 1999 that we had to withdraw. This has been personally and professionally something very difficult to undergo," he said.

Much of last season was spent with Prost and Peugeot refusing openly to confirm the manufacturers' departure although Provera said Prost was informed officially in November 1999.

"We both decided that we couldn't announce it in order to avoid the disruption to the team," he said.

But he said he was proud with the solution that kept Peugeot's Formula One employees in a job.

"I am proud of the fact that these 170 future ex-colleagues will be still having a real and even more important chance of showing how good they are."