OFFICIAL: It's Heinz and Enrique at Arrows!!!!

[Minardi fan]

Sorry Steve, but Heinz and Enrrrrrrique will be driving for Arrows in 2002.

Frentzen signs for Orange Arrows
6:34pm Thursday, 27th December 2001
Orange Arrows have signed Heinz-Harald Frentzen for the 2002 Formula One season.

His team-mate will be Enrique Bernoldi.

The Oxfordshire team have handed Frentzen a one-year contract with an option for the 2003 season.

He had previously said that Prost Acer were his preferred choice.

But Frentzen said his decision to join Orange Arrows was influenced by financial problems at Prost.

The team of four-time F1 world champion Alain Prost is facing insolvency due to debts of £18million.

Prost could not promise Frentzen a drive for the entire season and the German driver did not want to wait any longer.

Frentzen has accepted the deal with Orange Arrows even though he will be paid 92 per cent less than what he earned when driving for Jordan.

With Irish team owner Eddie Jordan, Frentzen pocketed £6million.

Arrows will now pay him £450,000.

"I wanted to race, no matter at what cost. It's my passion," said Frentzen.

(c) Copyright Ananova Ltd 2001, all rights reserved.

[Aysedasi]

So what's Bernoldi on?

(Commiserations to Steve).

[paulzinho]

Well Jos is on the dole now!!!

[Raven]

BYE JOS

[steve nielsen]

A- Enrique has no contract(and it's now 3 months after Red Bull signed a new contract)

B- nothing has been confirmed on the Arrows site, or even on www.hhf.de

C- if we had to believe all rumours HHF had already signed 3 times for Arrows

[Speedworx]

Its true.

I just got my txt message from Arrows confirming it.

Its good to see Jos get dropped for better drivers.

[steve nielsen]

of 465 laps where both Arrows drivers where in the race in 2001 Jos was ahead of Enrique 395 laps.


BTW: there is NOTHING on the Arrows site, no newsitem and nothing in the press area

and also no item on the Heinz Harald Frentzen site www.hhf.de

[Nicholas]

I see nothing on the newswires but it sounds plausible

[enemy-ace]

Although it appears there's nothing official at the moment, you know F1! Where there's smoke, there's fire. I guess Bernoldi's Red Bull money is more than anything that Jos is bringing to the table. Look to see Jos sign for Minardi.

[steve nielsen]

Like I said before: Red Bull wants a bigger piece of the American market, they tried to do the same with the Brazillian market this year but failed because Bernoldi is'nt populair in Brazil, so sponsoring him brings Red Bull nothing.

Brian Herta has already been to the Arrows factory to talk about a testcontract for 2002 and a possible race seat for 2003. That would fit in Red Bulls new American plans, so red Bull would be happy with that.

And don't forget that HHF was once driving for Red Bull Sauber Ford.

I don't see Red Bull having any problems with Jos and HHF driving and Herta testing.

Lost Boys,TCC and Trust sponsor Arrows because Jos drives there and are all dutch companies who can bring in an amount simular to the Red Bull money.

And the most obvious thing: Jos already has a contract and Enrique does'nt!!

[Minardi fan]

But contracts in F1 mean nothing - ie. Adrian Newey, Gustav Brunner, Pedro De La Rosa, Luciano Burti...

Admittedly, it's sad that Jos will not be driving, he's never had a car really worthy of him except during his time at Benetton. However, Bernoldi brings more money and Frentzen brings a bigger name and also more driving talent...

[Speedworx]

Its not that sad. Bernoldi was outclassing Jos and Arrows had got unhappy with Jos' performance and they also didn't like how he slagged Bernoldi off.

[Valve Bounce]

Knowing the Arrows leadership, it's all about money. Don't forget, I put a hex on Walkinshaw last year, and nothing has changed. This year, he will lose all his hair.

[EERO]

It doesn't seem to be official yet despite the rumours on the German Wires. I bet we find out tomorrow for sure.
Personally, I think Bernoldi is worthless and even Mateschitz has lost interest in him. Verstappen deserves that seat more than Enrique given last season's performance.

The ringers in the deal are that Arrows' sale of the wind tunnel to Jag didn't go through and they need the cash that both Jos and Enrique bring. HHF will cost TWR a rather paltry $750,000.

HHF and JV could move Arrows way up the grid if it comes right in 2002, my money would be on them to spring some surprises.

My sense is that HHF and EB will run the Arrows and we'll just how bad Bernoldi is.

Verstappen will be in a Minardi.

[steve nielsen]

Originally posted by hakkiman
Its not that sad. Bernoldi was outclassing Jos and Arrows had got unhappy with Jos' performance and they also didn't like how he slagged Bernoldi off.

Bernoldi outclassing Jos?? Jos is the one with the red/white blue helmet(in case you forgot

Like I said: in 465 laps where both Arrows drivers where both in the race at the same time in the 2001 season Jos was ahead of Enrique for 395 laps, 38 of those laps where caused by the Jos/Zonta incident in Hockenheim, so that's only 32 laps that Enrique did himself

Originally posted by Minardi Fan

Pedro De La Rosa

Pedro de la Rosa did'nt have a contract with Arrows

[steve nielsen]

I almost forgot:


Frentzen verhandelt mit Arrows, aber noch ist nichts unterschrieben

from www.welt.de , a german magazine's website

for those who don't speak german: Frentzen is negotiating with Arrows, but has'nt signed yet

[enemy-ace]

I think it's pretty apparent that Frentzen is better than either Bernoldi or Verstappen, so signing him should be a priority. As to who gets the second seat. Well we have Bernoldi who is the better qualifier, in only his first year in F1, and then we have Verstappen who was the better racer. Both bring equal, allegedly, sponsorship. Who do you get to drive for you, the young charger or the old jug of milk with a best before date somewhere around circa. Benneton's heyday. Either one is no great shakes, but I would hazard a guess that Bernoldi is the better option. As for Verstappen's contract, who pays his salary? TWR Arrows or LostBoys etc... And which sponsors would you rather keep, the one big one or the three little ones. There's a distinct possibilty that Jos's contract might not be worth the paper it's printed on. Look for Jos in a Minardi!

[Minardi fan]

Originally posted by steve nielsen

Pedro de la Rosa did'nt have a contract with Arrows

He had a contract with Prost, which he promptly broke to go to Jaguar...

[Tom Fuller]

Jos has always been better than slow Bernoldi. Frentzen and Verstappen would make a good team.

[MichaelC]

FWIW, I hope that Bryan Herta gets the second seat

[steve nielsen]

Brian does'nt wat the 2nd seat, he first wants to test for a year to get used to a f1 car and prepare for 2003.

With Herta as testdriver in 2002 and potential race driver for 2003 Red Bull could be happier than with Bernoldi in the 2nd seat.

If Arrows have Jos AND HHF in the driving seats the Red Bull logo's will have more tv coverage.

[LucaBadoer]

Frentzen's gonna retire - just wait and see...

[Tom Fuller]

Originally posted by LucaBadoer
Frentzen's gonna retire - just wait and see...

I doubt that...

[LucaBadoer]

Originally posted by Tom Fuller
I doubt that...

well it's gonna happen...

[Minardi fan]

Frentzen retire? I doubt it very much. Then again, this is F1 we're talking about...