DECEMBER 16, 2000

Prost undecided on Alesi's new team-mate

PROST GRAND PRIX chairman Alain Prost has said he will not rush into making a decision on who will partner Jean Alesi in the French team next season.

Prost is undecided on who will replace Nick Heidfeld in the team after the young German joined Sauber, and has been viewing a host of young drivers in testing in Barcelona this week.

Brazilian Enrique Bernoldi and Spaniard Oriol Servia both tested for the team at the Circuit de Catalunya, but Prost is no closer to making a decision as he must also analyze the commercial potential of a new driver, with the team currently struggling for sponsors.

"Obviously we are looking for someone who is fast but the decision has some sort of marketing strategy and objective in it as well," Prost said.

"But that does not mean we will be taking a driver just because he is bringing in money."

Prost is aiming to look at more young drivers and has not discounted the possibility Stephane Sarrazin being promoted from test-driver for next season.

But Prost is currently being hindered by the lack of Peugeot engines available for testing as he will not receive the team's new Ferrari power-units until in the new year.

He added: "We did not test another driver this week because of the shortage of Peugeot engines.

"We have not excluded the chance that the driver might be French but we will have any nationality that will fulfil our commercial targets."