MARCH 3, 1997

Peugeot gives Jordan last chance

FREDERIC SAINT-GEOURS, Deputy Managing-Director or Automobiles Peugeot, has made it quite clear that if Eddie Jordan wants Peugeot V10 engines in 1998 the Irishman's F1 team is going to have to make a big impression in the early Grands Prix this season.

FREDERIC SAINT-GEOURS, Deputy Managing-Director or Automobiles Peugeot, has made it quite clear that if Eddie Jordan wants Peugeot V10 engines in 1998 the Irishman's F1 team is going to have to make a big impression in the early Grands Prix this season.

"For 1998 we have an exclusive deal with Alain Prost," said Saint-Geours, "although if we reach an agreement to continue the relationship with Jordan we will be able to do it. If a decision is taken to do this, it will be no later than June and it will only happen if Jordan makes an exceptional start to the season in terms of performance and results."

Saint-Geours also confirmed that if Alain Prost had not come along Peugeot would have pulled out of Grand Prix racing. "When we studied the various options the balance swung towards withdrawing from Formula 1 in 1998. This was because of economic reasons, as the European car market is very unstable and a price war is intensifying. The program which AlainÊProst proposed to us was sufficiently interesting to make us decide to enter into a three-year partnership with his team."