Arrows Grand Prix International

Arrows Grand Prix International was a British Formula One team active from 1978 to 2002. It was known as Footwork from 1991 to 1996.

The Arrows Grand Prix International team was founded in Milton Keynes, England in November 1977, by Italian businessman Franco Ambrosio, Alan Rees, former racing driver Jackie Oliver, Dave Wass and Tony Southgate (the team deriving its name from the initials of their surnames) when they left the Shadow team. The team was formed and appeared on the grid for their first race at the 1978 Brazilian Grand Prix, all within three months.

Arrows signed Gunnar Nilsson and Riccardo Patrese to drive, but Nilsson was diagnosed with cancer shortly afterwards. His failing health caused Rolf Stommelen to take his place. The team initially ran a copy of the Shadow DN9, with the initials of the team's first sponsor, Franco Ambrosio, used in naming the car, the Arrows FA1. However, Ambrosio left the team in early 1978 when jailed in Italy for financial irregularities and main sponsor became Warsteiner. Shadow sued for copyright infringement, and the London High Courts ruled that the FA1 was a direct copy of the Shadow DN9. Arrows knew that they would lose the case and designed a brand new car, the Arrows A1, in 52 days. It was shown the day after the High Court of Justice in London upheld Shadow's claim and banned the team from racing the FA1.

Patrese scored points in the team's third race, the US West Grand Prix at Long Beach. He was on course for victory in South Africa, but an engine failure in the closing stages of the race robbed him of the win. A second-place finish in Sweden behind Niki Lauda and the infamous fan car was a highlight for the Italian. In September 1978, in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Patrese was involved in an accident which eventually claimed the life of Ronnie Peterson. Patrese was accused of causing the accident and then subsequently banned from racing at the following event (the United States Grand Prix) by his fellow drivers. Patrese was later exonerated of all charges.

At the 1979 Monaco GP, Jochen Mass' Arrows A1 moved into third place during the race and looked to be closing in on the leaders. However, brake issues dropped him down to sixth position by the chequered flag. Lotus had introduced ground effect to F1 in 1978. As a result, Tony Southgate designed a radical ground effect car, the A2. While striking to look at, it was not competitive and Arrows was forced to use an upgraded version of the A1.

With the A2 being too radical, Southgate penned the Arrows A3 for 1980. The car was competitive, and it was used during the following season as well. In 1981, Patrese scored the team's only Formula One pole position in Long Beach, which he led until retiring with mechanical problems on lap 33 of 80. Arrows finished joint eighth in the Constructors' Championship that year.

At the Long Beach Grand Prix in 1983, 1980 World Drivers' Champion Alan Jones was tempted out of retirement on a one-off basis. He qualified 12th but dropped out with pain in the closing stages. A few weeks prior to the race Jones had fallen from a horse on his farm at home in Australia resulting in a broken hip. Jones also drove for the team at the 1983 Race of Champions at Brands Hatch (the last ever in-season, non-championship Formula One race), finishing 3rd and a week later was later entered in the French Grand Prix with a view to keeping the drive for the duration of the season, however expected sponsorship money never materialised and the teams regular driver Chico Serra returning to the seat.

In 1984 with BMW M12 turbo engines and sponsorship from cigarette brand Barclay things got much better. That year they were ninth in the Constructors' Championship and eighth in 1985. At the 1985 San Marino Grand Prix, Thierry Boutsen finished third behind Alain Prost and Elio de Angelis. However, after the race, Prost was disqualified because his car was 2 kg underweight, giving Boutsen the second place.