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LONDON - Renault have ruled out supplying cars to Prodrive, due to become Formula One's 12th team, next season.
"We have had zero contact with Prodrive, and we are not in a position to supply another team at this point," team boss Flavio Briatore said in an interview on the Renault F1 website.
Prodrive's entry looks doubtful after former champions Williams challenged the legality of their entry.
The team, run by former Benetton and BAR boss David Richards, said earlier this month that their plan to enter using identical cars to McLaren was no longer possible due to the threat of court action.
Renault, champions for the past two years, bought the Benetton team.
The Formula One rules are due to be changed next year to allow for so-called 'customer cars', which are illegal at present, but the existing teams have yet to sign a new commercial 'Concorde Agreement' for the sport.
Former champions Williams argue that teams should not be allowed to enter the constructors' championship, and benefit from significant television revenues, unless they design and make their own cars.
The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA)'s International Court of Appeal is due to rule on the legality of Prodrive's entry next week but that hearing could now be postponed.
- REUTERS
