Editing Alain Prost (section)

==Early life==
Alain Prost was born in the commune of [[Lorette, Loire|Lorette]] near the town of [[Saint-Chamond, Loire|Saint-Chamond]], in the [[département]] of [[Loire (department)|Loire]] close to [[Saint-Étienne]], France to André Prost and Marie-Rose Karatchian, born in France of [[Armenians|Armenian]] descent.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=31 January 2019|title="I Don't Speak Armenian, but I'm Armenian": Alain Prost – Living Legend of Formula One|url=https://armedia.am/eng/news/67224/i-dont-speak-armenian-but-im-armenian-alain-prost-living-legend-of-formula-one.html|access-date=7 February 2021|website=armedia.am|language=en|archive-date=2 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230102132531/https://armedia.am/eng/news/67224/i-dont-speak-armenian-but-im-armenian-alain-prost-living-legend-of-formula-one.html|url-status=live}}</ref> His father ran a furniture store.<ref name="mcbride_nyt_p3" /> Prost had one older brother called Daniel, who died of cancer in September 1986.<ref>{{cite book|title=Motor Cycling and Motoring|volume=171|page=14|publisher=Temple Press Limited|year= 1986}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Prost was an active and athletic child, who enthusiastically took part in diverse sports, including [[wrestling]], [[roller skating]] and [[association football|football]]. In doing so he broke his nose several times.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Donaldson |first=Gerald |date=30 January 2015 |title=Alain Prost |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/drivers/hall-of-fame/Alain_Prost.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417020310/https://www.formula1.com/en/drivers/hall-of-fame/Alain_Prost.html |archive-date=2024-04-17 |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=[[Formula One]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> He considered careers as a gym instructor or a professional footballer before he discovered [[kart racing]] at the age of 14 while on a family holiday. This new sport quickly became his career of choice.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /> At age 16, he bought his first kart with money he saved working for his father's shop.<ref name="mcbride_nyt_p3" />

Prost won several karting championships in his teens. In 1974, he became a full-time racer.<ref name=":2" /> He won the French senior karting championship in 1975.<ref name="GP Encyclopedia">{{Cite web |title=DRIVERS: ALAIN PROST |url=http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/drv-proala.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061030002900/http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/drv-proala.html |archive-date=2006-10-30 |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=Grandprix.com}}[http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/drv-proala.html Alain Prost] </ref>

Prost made the transition to open-wheel racing in 1976 and rapidly progressed through the junior categories. That year, he dominated French{{efn|There were several national Formula Renault championships in Europe.}} [[Formula Renault]],<ref name=":2" /> winning the title and all but one race.<ref name="mcbride_nyt_p3" /> In 1977, he won the Formula Renault European championship. In 1978, he won the French [[Formula Three]] championship while simultaneously competing in the European Formula Three category. Finally, in 1979, he won both the European and French Formula Three titles.<ref name="GP Encyclopedia" /> He also made three guest appearances in European Formula Two in 1977 and 1978.

Prost's Formula Three wins drew interest from Formula One teams and sponsors. Before the [[1979 United States Grand Prix|final race of the 1979 season]], [[Paddy McNally]] and [[John Hogan (motorsport executive)|John Hogan]] of [[Marlboro]] ([[McLaren]]'s lead sponsor) offered to cover the costs of a third McLaren car so that Prost could make an early Formula One debut, but Prost declined the cameo appearance, reasoning that it would be a mistake to debut in Formula One without being fully prepared: "I didn't know [[Watkins Glen International|Watkins Glen]] and I didn't know the car. I said I thought it would be a better idea to organise a test."<ref name=":10">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=McLaren Racing – Alain Prost Biography {{!}} Extract 1|url=https://www.mclaren.com/racing/heritage/driver/alain-prost/alain-prost-extract-1/|access-date=13 February 2021|website=www.mclaren.com|language=en|archive-date=2 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302023507/https://www.mclaren.com/racing/heritage/driver/alain-prost/alain-prost-extract-1/|url-status=live}}</ref>{{sfn|Roebuck|1986|p=126}}