Prost Hints at Team Announcement

Formula One team boss Alain Prost hinted on Thursday that an announcement on the future of his unsuccessful team would be made in the coming week.

"There is nothing to say at the moment. It (an announcement) is not going to be this weekend but I hope it will be next week," Prost told a news conference ahead of this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.

Recent pit-lane rumours have suggested that the team is poised to sign a contract for a supply of Ferrari engines, which could cost them around 15 million pounds ($22.23 million).

Current Prost engine suppliers Peugeot are due to quit Formula One at the end of this season after an acrimonious relationship with the Prost team.

So far no power supplier has been confirmed for the French team for 2001.

Asked if he would remain with team for the foreseeable future, the four times drivers' world champion said: "It's like a car on the track, it is the whole package that is important.

"You will understand why I can't say anything because I don't want to compromise the future."

Despite his difficult season, Prost has refused to be too downbeat about his current situation.

"The season has been very bad and we could see at the start of the season that the car was not very good," he said.

"I would say that in Formula One it is very hard to compete against big car companies and, when you are 1.5 seconds down, it is very hard to catch up. Those last five tenths are very expensive."