By Huw Alban
September 10 2002

With the other media sites casting more and more doubt over the Arrows team’s ability to race in Monza, this site can exclusively reveal that the team will not be racing in Italy. All efforts are now concentrating on the United States GP – the ‘home’ race of the new investor. A source close to this site, with internal links to the Arrows team, has revealed that Tom Walkinshaw addressed the staff at the Leafield factory today to bring them up to date with developments. It is alleged that he informed the staff that they would definitely not be competing in Italy, and that the FIA were aware of the team’s situation and understood this position.

An official press announcement is expected tomorrow (Wednesday) from Arrows confirming the above. The BBC news website has also got a whiff of this story, claiming that an Arrows spokeswoman had informed them that “Arrows sent a truck and a bus to Monza but that the cars remained at the Arrows factory in England on Tuesday.”

In addition, Tom informed the staff that a decision would be made by the end of the Italian Grand Prix weekend as to whether Arrows would fly to America in readiness for the United States Grand Prix. All efforts within the team are concentrating on the new investor, who is apparently keen to have the deal done before the team are due to compete at Indianapolis.

The team are planning to pack up for the last two fly-away races of the season on Friday the 20th of September. The staff at Arrows are now waiting to see whether the instruction to start packing arrives. This, it seems, will be the sign that the team are secure for the rest of the season.

More on this breaking story when we get it.