Arrows - Down the pan????Rumoured demise of Team (Merged)

[mac]

Something has to be done! Bernie, your series is only going downhill and it will suffer with only Ferrari, Williams, McLaren, Renault and Toyota. We need to protect the teams and ensure more cars on the grid.

[Valve Bounce]

If you go to Grandprix Sport, the judges summary of Arrows management is damning. The way I see it, Arrows could very well have their cars, spares, tools, etc. seized at Silverstone by creditors. Even Jos is reported to be seeking an injunction against Arrows if they try to race. The sad part about all this are the two drivers, the crew, workers, and also the f1 fans who stand to lose another two cars from the grid.

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[Wrex]

From grandprix.com
THE 17-page judgement against Arrows in the High Court in London proved to be a damning indictment of the way in which the company has been run in recent years. Justice Sir Gavin Lightman said that the defendants "can only be described as underhand and improper, indeed downright dishonest".

Well well well. It would appear Mr Stoddart is'nt the only one with this opinion.

The judge went on to say...

From grandprix.com
Later in his ruling the judge said that "the only inference I can draw from this state of affairs is that AGPI is prepared to say or do anything which it thinks best suits its interests".

However, this was the bit I found interesting

From grandprix.com
Walkinshaw has still not given up the fight. He circulated a letter to rival F1 teams asking them to agree to allow Arrows to start a completely new team called Red Bull Team USA with a completely new company number without any debt. This would be contrary to the clauses in the Concorde Agreement and it is not thought likely that the team bosses will all agree to it.

Does'nt this just prove quote number 2?

Now, who was it here that was getting into Stoddart about "How can he afford to buy another team if he cant afford to run this one?".

Hmm, it would seem Stoddart is'nt as silly as some here thought. Minardi 1, Arrows nil.

[touringlegend]

No businessman is silly, believe me...I know of quite a few people that pull the same trick as Walkinshaw, albeit on a much smaller scale and almost nil publicity!!

[Red]

Ouch....

Thursday press conference
British GP - FIA - Press release

Drivers

Rubens Barrichello.
David Coulthard.
Juan Pablo Montoya

Team personnel
Flavio Briatore
Eddie Jordan
Absent: Tom Walkinshaw

[DNQ]

Stolen from Autosport...
...maybe they will make it?

ARROWS CARS REACH SILVERSTONE
An A23 is pushed down the pitlane on Thursday evening

The Arrows team's cars finally made it to Silverstone on Thursday evening, in time to be scrutineered before Friday practice.

At 1845, one of the A23s was spotted being pushed down the pitlane for scrutineering - but that is still no guarantee that Arrows will particpate in the British Grand Prix.

The team missed scrutineering at 1600 on Thursday, but won an extension until 1000 Friday. But having met the new deadline, team boss Tom Walkinshaw must now find the money to pay his debts to engine supplier Cosworth. Earlier today, Niki Lauda said that Arrows must pay up before tomorrow's practice session if the cars are to run this weekend.

The battle to keep Arrows afloat in Grand Prix racing will rage on tomorrow.

[Redlake27]

I hope Arrows survive. They have been part of F1 for so long, and albeit unsuccessful, they have often produced a surprise result or two. (eg: A smattering of podiums over the last twenty years).

However, Arrows have gone downhill since Walkinshaw got involved. He has not been able to keep an engine deal for more than a year - 96-Hart, 97-Yamaha, 98-Hart,99-Arrows (ok, it was a Hart), 00-Supertec, 01-Asiatech, 02 Cosworth

He has lost title sponsors each year, with the exception of Orange. Where did Danka, Parmalat, Repsol, PowerHorse, Zepter, Chello, EuroBet and co disappear to? The likes of Lost Boys and the other Dutch sponsors were equally likely to go after the Jos affair.

dela Rosa, Diniz, Verstappen, Salo, Hill - none of them left on the best of terms. Most ended up in court.

Phoenix - lets not even go there. Seems funny that TW claimed a sham team had a ready supply of Arrows engines when his main team can't even pay for an engine!

I hope Arrows survives. Maybe a sponsor backed management buyout - or alternatively it will become a good passport for the likes of Audi to enter F1.

And finally, FIA, if you can fine Ferrari half a million for podium irregularities, I suggest you fine TW several times that for bringing the sport into disrepute

[Valve Bounce]

It gets worse. The cars' black box has been removed and until Tom Walkinshaw pays Jaguar 3 months' rental amounting to US$4.5 millions, the cars will not be running this weekend, says Niki. Walkinshaw is still trying to convince Morgan Greenfell to permit him to sell the team to Red Bull. Then of course, there is the Jos factor, where Jos says he will put an injunction against hte team running until he gets paid. It seems that Walkinshaw has very few hours left to dance on his tightrope.

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[Super Tourer]

Hmmm

I sincerely hope the other team's don't let TW do another slippery deal and turn up as a 'different' team, with no debts.

Let's spare a thought for Arrow's creditors, who have effectively being funding the team, and will no doubt suffer as a result of TW's alledged mis-management of the team.

I bet EJ is questioning whether he will realistically be able to afford the cossies next year, if they decide to take that route. As, Sauber aside, customer engine deal's look pretty much unaffordable by a private team.

[Sato san]

Its been commen knowledge that Tom has been keeping Arrows afloat by using his own money . Maye now he decided enough is enough .

I feel sorry for the team members .

But surley Bernie has got to do something about cost etc , its just got stupid .
No Prost ,
No Arrows
Nealry No Minardi , or even Jordan .

were going to end up with 14 car grids soon .

Whether Tom has mis-managed the teams finances or not , F1 has become a joke as the costs spiral out of control.

[Jonny Apex]

The rumours flying at Silverstone this morning is that payment has been made!!!!!!!!!

The press are standing by for an Arrows statement.

[touringlegend]

we shall see when the F1 Digital coverage starts whether they make it.

[Sato san]

yes , only 15 mins to go til Sky prog starts ....i imagine that Peter Winsor will be standing right outside the Arrows motorhome ready to tell us all the news

[The Accomplice]

In his 17 page judgement against Arrows in the High Court yesterday, Sir Gavin Lightman said that the defendants "can only be described as underhand and improper, indeed downright dishonest".

It also says that the creditors may have to seek relief against the Arrows directors in proceedings for wrongful and fraudulent trading.

Yesterday, Tom Walkinshaw sent a letter to all the other F1 team bosses asking them for their agreement for him to enter his team as a new company, with a new company registration number, called Red Bull Team USA.

The Shark still swims in the waters. Porridge anybody?

[paulzinho]

Will they get away with being able to put an old engine in their car, like they were going to do with Phoenix.

Seems like that will be the only chance they've got of racing this weekend...

[Adam43]

Apparently Frentzen and Bernoldi have been told that they will qualify tomorrow! But it doesn't look like they will be out today!

Sounds odd!

[Red]

Both F1-live.com and DailyF1.com report that Arrows cars passed the scrutineering. I would assume that in order to pass a car HAS to have a V10 3000 cmc n/a engine in it's back... :confused:

[josvandeperre]

It looks like everyone apart form Ferrari & Arrows have gone out after the first ten minutes of the first session

[Valve Bounce]

18 cars out on the track already, only Ferrari and Arrows have not come out yet. I suppose that the cars are not classified as no shows if they do not turn up for practice - is this true? They only become no-shows if they fail to turn up for quals. Anyone has any ideas on this?

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[Red]

Hmm, I believe that a no-show is when they fail to take the start (for other reasons than 107%). Anyway, they are allowed to miss some Practice Sessions, for saving tyres for example; and that was the norm before Max allowed them several tyre sets for the Friday practice.

[Red]

Originally posted by Red
[...]assume that in order to pass a car HAS to have a V10 3000 cmc n/a engine in it's back... :confused:

Errr correction: they have engines. The control units is what they don't have...

[Valve Bounce]

Yeah!! That means when they fail to show for quals. Also there is a report in Grandprix.com that if a team misses a race while they are insolvent, they are out of F1 according to the Concord Agreement.
I suppose while some of us like to see Walkinshaw get his comeuppence, nobody really wants to see teh demise of another team from F1.

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[paulzinho]

4 drivers haven't posted a time yet, Michael Schumacher (spun on his first lap out of the pits), Salo and the Arrows boys....

[rdjones]

Just picked this up from Autosport

Neither Arrows car took part in the session, which means they are unlikely to be seen on track today. Team boss Tom Walkinshaw was understood to have been in a meeting with F1 guru Bernie Ecclestone during the session to discuss his current financial plight

They have just said on Five Live, that Uncle Tom, has good into talks with Cosworth 10 mins ago......................

[Sato san]

If his talks dont get the results he wants ....would the Pheonix engines even fit into this years Arrows which has been designed to house a Cosworth V10.