Team story
Origins
The first Arrows emerged when a group of men left Shadow at the end of 1977. Jackie Oliver, Alan Rees, Tony Southgate and Dave Wass started the team with Franco Ambrosio. The FA1 made its debut in Brazil in 1978, but the dispute with Shadow over the chassis design soon forced its replacement by the A1.
The Formula 1 journey
Riccardo Patrese was second in Sweden as early as 1978 and secured Arrows' only pole at Long Beach in 1981. The team regained its name in 1997 after the Footwork years. Damon Hill, the reigning champion, led much of the Hungarian Grand Prix in the Yamaha-powered A18: a late hydraulic failure left him second behind Jacques Villeneuve.
Historical timeline
Three chapters in the story of Arrows
Three episodes to revisit the people, cars and races that shaped this journey.
First appearance · Brazilian Grand Prix
Riccardo Patrese · Brazilian Grand Prix 1978. The recorded position is P10; this number alone does not show whether the driver completed the race distance. This is the first recorded race start, or the first entry if the team never started a race.
Sporting landmark · Swedish Grand Prix
Riccardo Patrese · Swedish Grand Prix 1978. The recorded position is P2; this number alone does not show whether the driver completed the race distance. This marks the first win or podium where one exists, otherwise the highest recorded placing for this constructor.
Latest recorded appearance · German Grand Prix
Heinz-Harald Frentzen · German Grand Prix 2002. The recorded outcome is DNF. This is the last race start attributed to this constructor in the archive, not necessarily the end of the organisation behind it.
A distinctive way of racing
The team went through naturally aspirated engines, BMW turbos and units rebadged as Megatron. Under Tom Walkinshaw, it also changed base, moving to Leafield, and attempted to produce its own V10 by acquiring Brian Hart's business. The 1998 and 1999 cars carried that engine, before new external supplies followed.
The pursuit of independence coexisted with a constant need for funding.
What remains
The A23 of 2002 was Arrows' last World Championship design. Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Enrique Bernoldi raced before the financial crisis interrupted the season; the last recorded start was at Hockenheim. No victory came under this name.
Hill's podium remains its best-known near miss, while Footwork's results should be preserved under their separate statistical identity.
