1978 Arrows FA1

The Arrows Formula One team was a British-based team that was active from 1978 through 2002. For a period of its history, it was also known as Footwork. The team was founded in 1977 by Italian financiers Franco Ambrosio, Alan Rees, Jackie Oliver, Dave Wass, and Tony Southgate. The name 'Arrows' was formed from the surnames of the founding members.

Rees, Oliver, Wass, and Southgate had recently left the Shadow Formula 1 team. The Arrows team would later be sued by Shadow for copyright infringement, claiming that the Arrows FA1 was just a copy of the Shadow DN9. The High court in London banned the team from racing the FA1; the team built a new car called the A1 in just 52 days.

The team was started in Milton, Keynes, England, and produced their first Formula One car, the FA1, in just 53 days. Southgate and was created the design and featured an aluminum monocoque chassis. The suspension was comprised of in-board mounted springs in the front with a single top link and twin lower links in the rear. Power was from a Cosworth DFV V8 engine mated to a Hewland gearbox. The completed car was finished in Warsteiner colors.

The team signed driver Swede Gunnar Nisson, however, he contracted a fatal case of testicular cancer and passed away later that year. He would never get the chance to pilot the car. Drivers for the team included Italian Riccardo Patrese and veteran German driver, Rolf Stommelen. Patrese drove the FA1 at its racing debut in the second round of the year in Brazil where he placed tenth place. The best finish for Patrese was a second-place finish at the Swedish Grand Prix. Patrese would also finish sixth in the United State west and Monaco Grand Prix. While Patrese would have success in the gold-colored Arrows, Stommelen would struggle, only able to achieve a pair of ninth-place finishes.

After the German Grand Prix, the 11th round, the judge ruled in favor of the Shadow team. The Arrows team had defended their position, stating that designer Southgate had not taken any drawings with him when left. Shadow, however, had claimed ownership of the intellectual property in Southgate's head. With the judge's ruling, the cars, without the body and engines, were to be returned to Shadow. Arrows were ready for this judgment, as they had a new car ready to take the place of the FA1. The new car was called the A1 and featured a design similar to the FA1 but with a new chassis.

The new car was able to achieve a fourth-place finish by Patrese. In 1979, the team continued to use the car while the A2 was still being created and tested.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2014