By Huw Alban
July 19 2002

Folks, it’s good news at last! Tom Walkinshaw appeared in the official FIA Press Conference at Magny-Cours today and confirmed that the Arrows team’s heart is still beating, and that they will show what they’re made of in tomorrow’s practice sessions. Q: Tom, we haven’t seen much of you today. Give us an update as to what’s been going on?

A: There’s not really a lot to say. If I told you we didn’t run because the drivers went so well at Silverstone after they had Friday off you wouldn’t believe me, would you, so I won’t tell you that. Basically, as we speak, there are still negotiations going on in London with investors and the team, and we were advised the best thing is to do very little today so that the consequences of anything happening on the track wouldn’t interfere with the negotiations. It’s as simple as that really.

Q: So are you hopeful of going out tomorrow?

A: Yes, the cars will go out tomorrow, definitely.

Q: Can you just confirm that the engines have been paid for?

A: Well, there was a lot of untrue comment in the press, in England anyway, earlier in the week, that we hadn’t paid for engines and so forth, and that’s not the case. We are up to date with Cosworth and the reason that we are not running is because the management have taken a conscious decision on the advice we were given by the people who are negotiating the deal.

Q: Are you fairly hopeful it’s going to turn out OK?

A: I’m sure that in the end it will be OK. It’s just a rather drawn-out process and it’s a bit unfortunate it had to be done in the public glare, but anyway, it’s there now so we just have to now work our way through it and get it completed.