Arrows

**Arrows Grand Prix International** was a British Formula One team active from 1978 to 1990. The team became known as Footwork in 1991.

## History

When Italian businessman Franco Ambrosio, Alan Rees, former racing driver Jackie Oliver, Dave Wass, and Tony Southgate left the Shadow team in November 1977, they formed the Arrows Grand Prix International team in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire (the team's name is derived from the initials of their surnames). Within three months of its formation, the team appeared on the grid for its first race, the 1978 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Arrows signed Gunnar Nilsson and Riccardo Patrese as drivers, but Nilsson was diagnosed with cancer shortly afterward. His failing health forced Rolf Stommelen to take his place. The team initially used a copy of the Shadow DN9, with the initials of the team's first sponsor, Franco Ambrosio, used to name the car the Arrows FA1. However, Ambrosio left the team in early 1978 after being jailed in Italy for financial irregularities, and Warsteiner became the team's main sponsor. Shadow sued for copyright infringement, and the London High Court found that the FA1 was a direct copy of the Shadow DN9. Arrows knew they would lose the case, so they designed a completely new car, the Arrows A1, in 52 days. It aired the day after the High Court of Justice in London upheld Shadow's claim and barred the team from racing in the FA1. Patrese scored points at the team's third race, the US West Grand Prix in Long Beach. He was on course to win in South Africa, but an engine failure in the final stages of the race cost him the victory. A second-place finish in Sweden, trailing Niki Lauda and the infamous fan car, was a highlight for the Italian. Patrese was involved in an accident that killed Ronnie Peterson during the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in September 1978. Patrese was accused of causing the accident and later barred from racing at the next event (the United States Grand Prix) as a result of pressure from several top drivers. Patrese was subsequently cleared of all charges.

At the 1979 Monaco Grand Prix, Jochen Mass' Arrows A1 moved into third place and appeared to be closing in on the leaders. However, brake issues dropped him to sixth place by the chequered flag. Lotus introduced ground effect to Formula One in 1978. As a result, Tony Southgate designed the A2, a radical ground effect car. While visually appealing, it was not competitive, so Arrows was forced to use an upgraded version of the A1. Southgate created the Arrows A3 in 1980 after the A2 was deemed too radical. The car was competitive and continued to be used the following season. Patrese won the team's first pole position at Long Beach in 1981, and he led until he retired on lap 33 of 80 due to mechanical issues. Arrows finished tied for eighth in the Constructors' Championship that year. Alan Jones was tempted out of retirement for one race at the Long Beach Grand Prix in 1983. He qualified 12th but dropped out during the final stages.

Things improved dramatically in 1984, thanks to BMW *M12* turbo engines and sponsorship from the cigarette brand Barclay. That year, they finished ninth in the Constructors' Championship, and eighth in 1985. Thierry Boutsen finished third in the 1985 San Marino Grand Prix, behind Alain Prost and Elio de Angelis. However, after the race, Prost was disqualified because his car was 2 kg underweight, leaving Boutsen in second place. Tony Southgate had a falling out with the other founders and left to work for Tom Walkinshaw. The 1986 season was disastrous. British Aerospace had problems building the team's first carbon composite chassis, so the A9 car was delivered late. The car proved uncompetitive, and its designer, Dave Wass, left to join Benetton, leaving only Oliver and Alan Rees in charge. Oliver wasted no time in replacing the two, hiring Ross Brawn to design the A10 for 1987.

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## Formula One record

### Entrant names

 1978–1980
 1980
 1981
 1982
 1984
 1985–1986
 1990 | Footwork Arrows Racing

## Notes

1. ↑ Arrows Grand Prix.
2. ↑ A potted history of the Arrows F1 Team.
3. ↑ Brown, Allen (26 January 2019). Arrows FA1 car-by-car histories.
4. ↑ Out of bad, sometimes comes good: The case of Patrese (18 October 2018).
5. ↑ Riccardo Patrese 1978.
6. ↑ Brown, Allen. Arrows A2 car-by-car histories.
7. ↑ 1983: Arrows & Renault F1 test at Willow Springs.
8. ↑ Tony Southgate, From Drawing Board to Chequered Flag.
9. ↑ Dave Wass.
10. ↑ 1988 Arrows A10B Formula 1 Car.