Alain Prost enters frame for Channel 4 role

The never ending wheel that is Channel 4 speculation appears to have lit up with news coming out of Buenos Aires that four-time world champion Alain Prost could be part of their Formula 1 team.

Speaking to MotorSportsTalk (NBC) prior to this weekend’s Formula E race in Argentina, Prost said that he is not going to part of Renault’s Formula 1 team. Prost added: “I prefer to be away from the operational work because it’s too complicated anyway with Formula E and the ambassador role and Canal+ [in France] and maybe Channel 4 [in Britain], different things that I have to do.”

Confirmed
– David Coulthard (link)

Expected to be confirmed
– Ben Edwards (link)
– Steve Jones (link)

Inconclusive
– Alain Prost
– Eddie Jordan (link; link)

Ruled out
– Suzi Perry (link)
– Martin Whitmarsh (link)

Clearly Prost would not have mentioned Channel 4 had he not been contacted by either the network themselves or Whisper Films. So, it looks like we have a new name in the punditry frame… I would be happy with this if it came off. Prost has experience of course at the top level of motor sport, but also brief experience as a team manager so is well positioned to comment on the action both on and off the track.

As noted though, Prost is does Formula 1 work with Canal+, so he would have split the two roles. Logically, Prost would be part of Channel 4’s live races I reckon if the two sides agreed terms.

Update on February 7th – Alain Prost, this time speaking to Motorsport.com: “There is nothing done with UK TV [Channel 4] but it could be nice. I will continue with Canal + as usual for sure. I do not know why people are talking so much about UK TV, maybe it is because I am friends with David [Coulthard], but we see what the future holds.”

Update on February 9th – The same quotes have been published on James Allen’s website, the article on there written by Alex Kalinauckas. Fitting in with the who Steve Jones follows, Kalinauckas is also reporting that Lee McKenzie will be part of Channel 4’s team. Edwards, as expected, and also Guy Martin will also feature. It should be noted that Martin does regularly present on Channel 4 but the wording implies that Martin will not be lead presenter.