Prost labels Fredric Vasseur's Renault exit "a shame"

Alain Prost says that Fredric Vasseur's exit from Renault is a shame, but there is one upside to the departure. Vasseur left the team ahead of the 2017 season due to some management disagreements.

The Frenchman was only at Renault for a year and was part of the team's plan to return to the front of the grid. After his exit, it was confirmed that he would not be replaced, with his role getting shared among valuable members of the team. 

Asked if Vasseur is a loss to Renault, Prost admitted: "Yes, it's a shame. But I make one observation," the quadruple world champion told France's Auto Hebdo. "When things do not work out, on one side or another, you take the consequences.

"For me, it's hard to judge why it did not work, but the fact is that Fred is no longer there and the responsibilities now rest on Cyril's [Abiteboul] shoulders. The benefit is that it is clear," Prost added.

Prost was announced as an advisor for Renault at the launch of the RS17 in February, and he will surely have a precious input into the decisions of the team. 

Fergal Walsh