JANUARY 31, 2006

No guarantees from Ghosn

Carlos Ghosn, the boss of Renault, has given no long-term guarantees for the future of the French car company in Formula 1. The team, he said, needs good results to remain in the sport in the future.

Carlos Ghosn, the boss of Renault, has given no long-term guarantees for the future of the French car company in Formula 1. The team, he said, needs good results to remain in the sport in the future.

Team boss Flavio Briatore used the Renault presentation in Monaco to abuse the French press for doubting Renault's commitment to the sport and said that the company was in the same situation as the other car manufacturers. This is not the case as others such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW have given long-term guarantees that they intend to remain in the sport.

"Obviously there is some uncertainy about the conditions in which Formula 1 will evolve beginning in 2008. This not a preoccupation of Renault alone, it is a preoccupation for all manufacturers," said Ghosn. "If I elimiate this uncertainty, it I consider that we are going to come to a good resolution of the questions we have and that Formula 1 will continue to have a good, fair return on investments for car manufacturers in general and for the winner in particular, then we must be there."