Prost says Alesi lost points over fuel rig problem

The new fuel rigs being used by all the teams in 2001 have caused particular problems for Alain Prost's team so far this year, with both Alesi and team mate Gaston Mazzacane having protracted pits stops due to a fuel delivery fault.

Alesi was running in eighth place when he came in for his sole stop, which should have taken the team less than 10 seconds. But the Frenchman had to wait helplessly for almost half a minute after the rig jammed and went into emergency shutdown mode before any fuel was delivered.

Mazzacane was forced to make an extra stop during the Malaysian Grand Prix after the Argentinian was blighted by exactly the same problem. Once the machine is in its emergency mode, not only will it not supply any fuel, but it also has a time delay fitted preventing it from being immediately reset.

Despite thorough rig checks, the problem occurred again on Sunday. The Guyancourt-based team believes that without the lengthy stop, Alesi would almost certainly have moved up into sixth place by the chequered flag to claim the team's first points since September 1999.

French company Intertechnic manufactures the re-fuelling rigs for all 11 Formula 1 teams and the matter has been reported by Prost to motorsport's governing body, the FIA.