Prost Grand Prix was a Formula 1 team formed by four-time Formula 1 World Champion, Alain Prost, buying out the Équipe Ligier team in February 1997. Prost’s aim was to form a championship-winning French team. Prost quickly signed an exclusive contract for full Factory Works engines by Peugeot, which were fitted into the AP01 chassis for the 1998 Formula 1 season. In addition to his Peugeot deal, Prost signed Gauloises as another major sponsor and convinced Liger’s lead driver, Oliver Panis, to stay with Prost Grand Prix.
For the 1999 Formula 1 season, Alain Prost sought the help of John Barnard, who designed championship-winning McLarens of the 1980s. The AP02 was a conventionally designed Formula 1 car. It had a carbon-fibre monocoque chassis with double wishbone suspension and push-rod actuated torsion-bars on each corner. Key distinguishing features were the small wings mounted on the side pods. The AP02 was an all-French Formula 1 car, with one of the main sponsors, Peugeot, supplying the AP02 with its 3.0-litre AP18 V-10 engine, producing close to 800 brake horsepower and revving up to 17,000 rpm.
This car, chassis number 03, was driven by French driver Oliver Panis. The car was entered in the first four races of the 1999 Formula 1 season, racing in the Australian Grand Prix, Brazilian Grand Prix, San Marino Grand Prix and Monaco Grand Prix. The car’s best result was at the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos where chassis number 03 took 6th place. This car was also present at both the French Grand Prix and British Grand Prix but was used only as a spare car.
Following the 1999 Formula 1 season, chassis number 03 was exhibited and used for various marketing purposes. Today, the car is a rolling chassis and body, which shall come with its Prost gearbox and a Peugeot AP18#1833 V-10 engine that are both included in the sale as part of a spare parts package. The current paintwork is that of its successor, the AP03, and livery sponsorship is from the 2001 AP04.
Chassis number 03 presents a wonderful opportunity to own an all-French Formula 1 car that was driven by Prost Grand Prix’s most successful driver, Oliver Panis.


