Prost AP02

Prost AP02
Jarno Trulli driving the AP02 at the 1999 Canadian Grand Prix
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorProst
Designer(s)Bernard Dudot (Technical Director)
Loïc Bigois (Chief Engineer)
Ben Wood (Head of Aerodynamics)
John Barnard (Technical Consultant)
PredecessorAP01
SuccessorAP03
Technical specifications
ChassisMoulded carbon fibre composite structure
Suspension (front)Double wishbones, pushrod
Suspension (rear)Double wishbones, pushrod
EnginePeugeot A18, 3.0-litre 72-degree V10
TransmissionProst six-speed longitudinal sequential semi-automatic
Power785 hp @ 15,700 rpm[1]
FuelTotal
TyresBridgestone
Competition history
Notable entrantsGauloises Prost Peugeot
Notable drivers18. France Olivier Panis
19. Italy Jarno Trulli
Debut1999 Australian Grand Prix
Last event1999 Japanese Grand Prix
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
160100
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0

The Prost AP02 was the car with which the Prost Formula One team competed in the 1999 Formula One season. It was driven by Olivier Panis, in his sixth season with the team (including Ligier), and Jarno Trulli, in his second full season with the team.

After the team's dramatic slump in 1998, the 1999 season marked a small improvement in form. John Barnard, who had designed Prost's championship winning McLarens of the mid 1980s was brought in to help develop the car. The car showed flashes of promise, especially when Trulli scored his first podium finish at the wet 1999 European Grand Prix.[2] The Italian moved to Jordan to replace the retiring Damon Hill for 2000, whilst Panis endured another frustrating year, often let down by reliability and left the team at the end of the season to join McLaren as a test driver.[3]

The team finished 7th in the Constructors' Championship, with nine points.

The AP02 later became notable for being the first F1 car driven by future World Champion Jenson Button in an official test session, in December 1999.[4]

  1. ^ "Engine Peugeot". www.statsf1.com. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  2. ^ "1999 Prost AP02". GPEXTREME. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  3. ^ "1999 Prost AP02 Peugeot - Images, Specifications and Information". Ultimatecarpage.com. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Button Tests For Prost". crash.net. 20 December 1999. Retrieved 18 November 2017.