By Huw Alban
August 14 2002

Since yesterday’s announcement, the future of Arrows and the possible consequences of not competing this weekend have been the hot topics for debate on this site. According to the press, the team may get away with the fine but the FIA are not a happy bunch.

AtlasF1 reports that the FIA have not been contacted by the Arrows team to explain their reasons for turning their trucks around on the way to Hungary. According to the popular news site, an FIA source has admitted that Arrows’ case “is not looking good.” The team were warned after the French Grand Prix that any further unusual behaviour at a Grand Prix venue would result in serious repercussions.

“I think it is reasonable to expect a written explanation of ‘force majeur,’ but that is yet to arrive,” the FIA source stated.

Atlas believes that Tom Walkinshaw is still trying to negotiate with principal share holder Morgan Grenfell, in order to bring new investment into the team. The finance company are still hanging onto the High Court injunction forbidding any such deals from taking place.

The source added, “If the organiser of the event wants to make a formal appeal against what Arrows are doing, that is something that they could do if they wanted.

“But more fundamental is whether they are financially insolvent, because they would lose their rights and that is a serious question to be addressed. Even if someone steps in at this late stage, if another team goes to arbitration over Arrows’ possible insolvency the potential future value of the team is severely affected.”

The Concorde Agreement, the rules that govern the sport and all those who compete in it, is believed to hold a clause that states that an insolvent team cannot compete. If Arrows cannot prove to the FIA that they are not insolvent then the FIA can remove them from the championship altogether.

The other vexing question is whether the team will incur a non-competing fine. The Times newspaper has reported today that Arrows may escape this penalty if the team’s future can be sealed before the next Grand Prix in Belgium.

DailyF1 has reported that Tom Walkinshaw has been engaged in some lengthy telephone calls with Bernie Ecclestone today, in order to plead the team’s case and not be removed from the championship. This excellent F1 news site believes that Tom will have tried to convince Ecclestone that there are compelling circumstances (otherwise known as ‘force majeur’) that prevent the team from competing.

No doubt the TV coverage of the Hungarian Grand Prix will provide some of the answers to these questions over the course of the weekend.