Prost considered move to UK

Prost has now decided to remain at its current location south of Paris, which it moved to in 1998. As recently as six months ago, however, the team was looking at a move to the UK to take advantage of the wide range of technical expertise and specialist motorsport companies in Britain.

Talking to Autosport, the four time F1 World Champion says he has now ruled out the possibility of crossing the channel due to reasons which will become clear in the coming months.

"If you're running a company in F1," said Prost, "you have to think about everything that may make it better. I've investigated the possibility of moving to England... but I've concluded that there are many more advantages to staying in France."

Prost's contract with engine supplier Peugeot - also based in Paris - is due to run out at the end of the year, which would reduce the ties with its current Parisien location. However, a large number of Prost's sponsors are French and a move to England would possibly have diluted the notion of Prost as a French team.

A replacement for Peugeot has yet to be announced. Mugen-Honda's V10 engines could be available next season, following Jordan's rumoured promotion to works parity with BAR, but Prost was suitably cagey about his options, which would appear to be increasingly limited.

"I'm looking at different solutions," said Prost, "but I can't talk about it too much at the moment."

With his Technical Director, Alan Jenkins, recently departed and his engine supplier, Peugeot, and title sponsor, internet company Yahoo!, rumoured to be on the way out, the Professor will be hoping a change in fortune is not far away.