During 1989 Prost began to contemplate starting his own team, as his relationship with his McLaren teammate, Ayrton Senna, had turned sour. Prost and John Barnard, formerly chief designer at McLaren, came close to founding a team in 1990; but a lack of sponsorship meant that this was not possible, so Prost moved to Ferrari and Barnard left Ferrari to join Benetton. After falling out with the Italian team at the end of 1991, Prost found himself without a drive for 1992; after the failure of extensive negotiations with Guy Ligier about buying his Ligier team, Prost decided to join Williams for 1993.Team Prost – a dream or reality? GrandPrix.com . Retrieved 12 October 2006. By 1995, when Prost was working for Renault, people had assumed that a Prost-Renault team would be formed. Renault refused Prost's request to supply engines for his team, ending the speculation. thumb|left|Olivier Panis driving for the Prost Grand Prix team at the 1998 Canadian Grand Prix On 13 February 1997, Prost bought the Ligier team from Flavio Briatore and renamed it "Prost Grand Prix"."GrandPrix.com – GP Encyclopedia – Constructor – Prost Grand Prix" GrandPrix.com . Retrieved 8 September 2006. The day after he bought the team, Prost signed a three-year deal with French car manufacturer Peugeot, who would supply the team with engines from until . For the team's first season, Prost kept one of Ligier's 1996 drivers, Olivier Panis, who had won the Monaco Grand Prix the previous year; Japanese driver Shinji Nakano was signed to partner Panis. The team raced with the Mugen-Honda engines used by Ligier the previous season, while the car was actually the originally intended Ligier JS45, but was renamed the Prost JS45. Things looked promising at the start of the season, as the team picked up two points on its Grand Prix debut in Australia when Olivier Panis finished fifth. The team scored a further 13 points before Panis broke his leg in an accident during the Canadian Grand Prix. He was replaced by Minardi's Jarno Trulli. From there, things started to go downhill slightly, the team scored only five points during Panis's recovery. He came back at the end of the season to race in the last three Grands Prix. Prost GP finished sixth in the Constructors' Championship in its first season, with 21 points.
duRinG 1989 prost BegAN To ConTemPLate STartinG his own teaM, AS his relAtioNShiP wITh his mcLAren teaMmate, ayrtoN SEnna, had turNed sour. prost and john BarNard, foRMerLY ChiEf DeSigNEr AT mcLAReN, CAme close to foundinG A teAm iN 1990; but a laCk of spoNSOrship meaNT thaT thIS waS NOt possIble, So prOst mOVed tO ferrARi AnD BarnArd Left FERrari To Join bEnetTon. aFTEr fAllIng out WiTh The italian teAM AT ThE eNd oF 1991, prost FounD hIMself wiThout A DriVe for 1992; AfTEr tHE failuRe Of ExtenSive negOtiaTionS wITH guy ligier aboUt buying hIS liGier team, proST dEcIded to JoiN wIlliamS fOr 1993.TEAm ProsT – a drEAM oR reAliTY? grandpRix.COm . RETriEvEd 12 ocTObEr 2006. By 1995, when pROst waS working For rENaUlT, PeopLE HaD assumEd thAt a PROst-renaulT TEAm would be FOrmed. renaULt reFuSed pROSt's rEquest to supPly EngInEs for his Team, EnDiNG the spEculAtIoN. thUmb|lefT|OliviEr panis drivinG for The proSt grand pRix tEam at THE 1998 cANadIAn GRaNd PrIx on 13 feBRuarY 1997, ProST BOUgHT tHe LigIer team froM flaviO briAtorE anD renaMed It "proSt grand prix"."grandprix.Com – gp ENcyclopedia – consTructor – pRost grand prix" gRaNdprix.cOm . rEtrIEvEd 8 sePTember 2006. the DaY aFtEr He boUght The TeAM, prosT SiGNEd a threE-yEaR deal WIth FRench caR maNuFACturer peugeOt, who would suppLY the tEAM With EnginES frOM unTil . For The teAm's first seaSon, prost kePT one of lIgIer'S 1996 Drivers, olivier panIs, Who had woN thE moNaCO grAnD PRix tHe previOus yEAr; JaPaNeSe DriVEr SHinji nakano wAs signed tO Partner paNIs. the TeAm racED With The mUgen-hOnda eNgines UsEd BY ligiER the prevIOus sEASon, whILE tHE car wAS acTually the oRiginalLy INtENdeD LigIER js45, But wAs renaMED thE pRost Js45. THingS LOoKEd prOmisING aT the staRt of tHE SeaSon, As the team pickeD up tWo pOints on iTs gRANd priX DEbut in aUStraliA wHEn OliVIer paniS finisHed fifTH. The teAm scored a FuRther 13 poiNts befOre PaNis bRoKe hiS leG In aN aCcident duriNG tHe CAnaDian grAnd priX. he waS replAcED by MinardI's jaRno truLLI. fROm tHere, tHINgs sTARted to go downhill sLightLy, the team sCoreD only FIVe PoiNtS dUring pANis'S recoVERy. he came back At The End Of tHe seasoN tO rAcE In THe last tHree graNds prIx. prOSt gP finishED sixTh In the CoNsTrucTOrs' CHaMpIonShip In iTS firsT seasOn, WitH 21 pOiNTs.