Formula One Not Over for Me, Says Prost

Former champion Alain Prost, whose Formula One team went bankrupt on Monday, says he may return to the motor racing world one day, but not in France.

"Formula One is not over for me, but certainly not in France," he said on French television. "I did all this for France. I thought I owed it to my country. Now there are no more French drivers, it's a total waste."

Retired French drivers showed little mercy towards their former colleague.

"It's not because you're a great driver that you end up a good manager," said Rene Arnoux, who was the quadruple World Champion's team mate at Renault in the 1980s. There is such a big difference between the life of a driver and that of a businessman.

"You need talent, motivation, energy, the right environment. Not everybody can be Jean Todt," added Arnoux, referring to the French manager of Ferrari. "It's a personal failure for Prost. You can become a boss when you were a great champion but maybe not in charge of 300 people," said Henri Pescarolo, a Formula One driver between 1968 and 1976.

No Credit

The last man who scored points for Prost Grand Prix was Jean Alesi, who finished his career at the end of last season after his partnership with his old friend ended in acrimony.

"Alain has only himself to blame," Alesi told daily Le Figaro. "Everybody was behind him, including me as I left Sauber to join him. But he ruined everything."

Prost said their reactions were perfect examples of why he had failed to become a prophet in his own land.

"The problem with France is that everybody shoots in every direction. This media lynching is not a surprise," he said. "But who can give any credit to what Pescarolo or Alesi say? What credit do they have to give lessons in management?

"Some people should shut up and work for motorracing in France."

The Frenchman admitted that the demise of his team was "a personal failure" but he also blamed the lack of ambition of his engine provider, Peugeot. He also disclosed that he had approached Renault for a takeover - "but they did not want to start a team in France".

Renault announced their return to Formula One on Sunday in a venture with English and Italian staff and a Japanese sponsor.

"Let me remind you that there were three French Formula One teams which went bankrupt - AGS, Larrousse and Ligier, who were struggling when I bought them in 1997," Prost said.