JULY 31, 2001

Prost speaks on Jordan situation

ALAIN PROST has broken the silence over the tug of war believed to be going on between his team and Jordan Grand Prix over the services of Jean Alesi. The 37- year-old Frenchman is the oldest and longest-serving driver currently in Formula 1, who made his debut in the 1989 French Grand Prix, and is Jordan's target to replace Heinz-Harald Frentzen in the race team.

"I don't know what to think," Prost remarked. "It's true that I saw Eddie Jordan but I told him that Jean was not free and that he had a contract until the end of the season."

Jordan has described the furor as "pure speculation," and has said that the driver line-up will not be disclosed until the Hungarian Grand Prix as it prepares to face a legal challenge from Frentzen against a loss of earnings and the damage done to his professional reputation after being fired in the week leading up to the German Grand Prix.