Tuesday February 1st, 2000

Formula One team boss Alain Prost says it will be a challenge to keep the lid on Jean Alesi's fiery temper but he expects great things from his veteran driver this season. Prost also told reporters at the launch of the new Prost-Peugeot AP03 in Barcelona today that he expected his team to figure among the top four or five in 2000.

"I am very happy to see him so motivated but I know too that it is part of my job to try to keep him calm," Prost said of Alesi, who has joined from Sauber.

"We have a good friendship and I feel he can help us achieve our ambition of winning a race this year.

Alesi partners German debutant Nick Heidfeld in an all-new line up at Prost in place of the departing Italian Jarno Trulli, who has moved to Jordan, and Frenchman Olivier Panis, now McLaren's test driver.

"My two drivers really complement each other. Jean has exceptional experience and motivation and Nick has obvious great talent. We are expecting some impressive results," said four times world champion Prost.

Alesi will be starting his 11th season in Formula One after 167 races to date and spells at Tyrrell, Ferrari and Benetton.

He said he was impressed with the sleek, blue Prost and was looking forward to working with his new boss.

"For me this is a dream as I have always wanted to be part of this kind of team," he said.

"I have always enjoyed working with Alain and I tried to make it happen when I was at Ferrari but it didn't work out.

"Now we are together I cannot tell you how happy I am that this has happened. It is a great motivation for me to be racing for a French team."

Briton Alan Jenkins, the team's technical director, said the car had improved aerodynamics amd was shorter with a smaller, lighter and lower engine which has improved the centre of gravity compared to the model used last season.

He added that the team had decided to combine the packaging of the engine and gearbox systems, which had created major improvements throughout the car.

"I believe this year will see far more than just an evolution," said Jenkins. "The team is maturing and we feel that the whole package is coming together now."

Prost said McLaren and Ferrari were still a class apart, ahead of Jaguar and Jordan.

"We will not be too far from them," he said.