Thursday May 18th, 2000

Mercedes have ruled out providing their engines to the Prost Formula One team in addition to McLaren in 2001.

"It was never on our agenda and there is definitely no chance that we will link up with Prost next season," said Mercedes-Benz motorsport director Norbert Haug at the European Grand Prix on Thursday.

"Why would we give an advantage to a second team? There is no way that would happen."

Prost have endured a disappointing start to the season with French veteran Jean Alesi and German newcomer Nick Heidfeld failing to score a point in the opening five rounds.

Team boss Alain Prost, nursing a broken wrist after a fall at his home in southern France, has no guaranteed engine supplier next year with the future of Peugeot in Formula One still unconfirmed.

Peugeot are in their third year with Prost, who won the world title four times in his career as a driver, but their partnership has failed to produce the expected results.

Recent media reports have suggested that Prost is seeking an alternative engine supplier.