Ferrari Engine Deal Almost Done, Says Prost

Frenchman Alain Prost has admitted he is about to close a deal with Ferrari to continue using the Italian engines in 2002.

Prost started using Ferrari engines this year after a disastrous 2000 season with the unreliable Peugeot units, and have enjoyed a much better campaign having scored four points so far thanks to veteran driver Jean Alesi, who jumped ship to Jordan after the German Grand Prix.

The French outfit were rumoured to be set to replace the expensive Ferrari power units due to their financial problems this year, but their four-time champion boss said the deal with the Maranello-based team is almost done.

"We have an agreement already 95 per cent done with Ferrari, because we have to fix some things," Prost told Motorsport News. "But we have a very good relationship with them.

"I hope it will be a very positive answer very soon. I have been working very hard on that have only had one day's holiday."

World Champions Ferrari currently supply their customer engines both to the Prost and Sauber teams.