Prost worried over struggling team's future

The Paris-based equipe steps into the second half of the season at Prost's home Grand Prix in France on Sunday without an engine for 2001. In Monaco a month ago they unexpectedly parted company with technical
director Alan Jenkins.

The team is at logger heads with Peugeot, who are set to announce they will split with Prost next year, and the announcement could come as early as next week.

Prost is one of just two of the 11 teams not to have scored a single point this season. They have suffered from the lack of power and reliability of their Peugeot V10, although the French engine manufacturer has provided an up-rated engine for this weekend.

"In the last couple of races we have shown what we can do," said Prost. "But we did virtually no running before the start of the season because of our problems and very little until quite recently. Once you lose ground at the beginning of the year, it is impossible to catch it up again."

He admitted he faces pressure from some of his sponsors to perform.

"Some are looking short term, others in the long term. It is not easy for the team, for the drivers, or the sponsors. We all have a lot of pressure because we are struggling.

"A lot has been said, there have been a lot of rumours that are not true and lies, I must say, and we will have to wait and see what happens. I know I have to find a new engine for next year and I am working on that. I never bullshit. I always said we would find an engine in April or May and if that does not happen, we have until the end of July because we have a second plan for the new car.

"I have experience of Formula One over the last 20 years, perhaps as a racing driver rather than a manager, but I know all about it. If I was not worried in this situation I would be crazy. When you see all the big engine constructors [already committed] in July, and you don't have an engine signed, it is not easy."

Prost, however, remains defiant that he can ultimately solve his problems: "I have faced difficult situations before in my career as a racing driver and I can handle this one."