JANUARY 15, 2003

Prost on ice

Alain Prost is to return to competition this weekend at the wheel of an Opel Astra ice racing car. The 47-year-old Frenchman will take part in four rounds of the Trophee Andros, the French ice racing series, at Lans-en-Vercors (January 17-18), Serre-Chevalier (January 25-26), Super Besse (February 7-8) and Noeux-les-Mines (March 16). Prost will be driving a 430 horsepower Astra, with backing from Pilot, Unil Opal, Continental and TAG Heuer and will team up with regular ice racer Philippe de Korsak.

"I've never lost the desire to race cars," Prost said. "I know absolutely nothing about ice racing, but the thought of it makes me feel 18 years old again!"

Prost has been out of competition since he quit F1 in 1993 after winning four Formula 1 World Championships and 51 Grand Prix victories. He tried to run his own Formula 1 team, but this went bankrupt at the start of last year.