Arrows trucks still at UK base

Team boss Tom Walkinshaw is working hard to resolve the issues that almost forced the team out of the British Grand Prix a week and a half ago. He was forced to cover the costs of Arrows' supply of Cosworth engines himself, while fighting a dispute with shareholder Morgan Grenfell in London's High Court. Neither issue has been resolved.

A team spokeswoman at Arrows' Leafield base in Oxfordshire said: "Discussions are still going on and there are no conclusions as yet."

Usually, the team leaves for Magny-Cours on the Sunday before the race, although the cars are not transported until Monday or even Tuesday. The spokeswoman said: "It doesn't actually take that long to get there so I think we could be safe if they don't leave today."

At Silverstone the cars did not arrive until Thursday evening, after scrutineering took place. But the team won an extension, allowing them to be scrutineered on Friday morning before free practice begun. Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Enrique Bernoldi finally took to the track for Saturday morning's practice, once Walkinshaw had sorted a deal with Cosworth.

If Arrows is forced to miss this weekend, it could incur a fine of around £500,000 from motorsport's governing body, the FIA, which will only add to the doubts of the team's future in F1.