MAY 7, 2002

How much does an F1 car cost?

THE French authorities have put the 12 Prost Grand Prix chassis up for sale - with a price tag of $900,000. The cars, which cover the entire history of the team, range in price with the most expensive being the AP03 which was raced by Jean Alesi in 2000 which is reckoned to be worth $220,000.

The Prost team went into liquidation in January with debts of $27m. Since then only a few million have been raised by the sale of some of the 2001 chassis and the intellectual property rights to the 2002 car to Phoenix Finance Ltd. That company is still trying to win the right to compete in F1 this year with a court hearing due to take place in the next few days in the High Court in London to ascertain whether or not the case can be heard in Britain or whether it must be referred back to France, where the deal was done. Phoenix is challenging the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone's FOA saying that it has the right to compete. They have ruled that this is not the case.

Even if the case is successful it is hard to see how Phoenix is going to be competitive with year-old chassis and two-year old engines.