Damon Hill could be in danger of pricing himself out of the current Formula One driver market as the Prost team this week followed McLaren into the ranks of those unwilling, or unable to meet the British driver's financial aspirations for 1998. French sources suggest that Hill and Prost, who raced together as team-mates in the 1993 Williams line-up, met last weekend in France, only for talks to collapse after Hill indicated that he wanted a retainer of at least £4.5 million, which the Arrows team is currently paying him.
Prost had already indicated that he thought it was unlikely his team's driver budget would extend much beyond £2.5 million for Hill's services. "There is a price we cannot go beyond, because we are a new team and don't have an unlimited budget," said Prost at the Belgian Grand Prix 10 days ago.
Despite speculation that Hill might eventually forge a deal with the Silverstone-based Jordan team, their spokesman said yesterday: "It is our intention to keep our current line-up of Giancarlo Fisichella and Ralf Schumacher". However, despite a ruling in Jordan's favour from the FIA's contract recognition board, Fisichella may yet be snatched back by Benetton in 1998 which could possibly create a vacancy for Hill.
Meanwhile, Benetton team director Flavio Briatore has cast doubt over whether Hill could find a place in his 1998 squad. "I don't think there is any possibility to have Damon next year," he said. "It is not in our plans for the moment. We have other plans. Sure, Damon is a very good driver, but at the moment we are close to doing a deal with somebody else. I think Damon is doing a very good job with Tom (Walkinshaw). So why not stay there?"
However, even Walkinshaw, the Arrows team managing director, has hinted that the former world champion might be too expensive to keep if he persists in his multimillion pound ambitions. Arrows are believed to have targeted the highly-rated Finn Mika Salo, whose three-year contract with Tyrrell expires at the end of this season, as a possible replacement for Hill.
