Prost fail in Telefonica talks

PROST GRAND PRIX managing director Joan Villadelprat has said that talks to attract Telefonica back to the sport have failed.

The Guyancourt-based team wanted Telefonica as their new sponsors after losing the backing of Gualoises but the Spanish communications giant revealed that they were cutting their ties with the sport after leaving Minardi.

Prost have been believed to be ready to hand a drive to Spaniard Marc Gene, who Telefonica back, in a bid to secure a sponsorship deal for 2001.

But Villadelprat has said that talks aimed at persuading Telefonica to return to Formula One have fallen on deaf ears.

"There is no way for us to do a deal," Villadelprat said. "Telefonica is completely finished with Formula One."