De la Rosa Wary of Backroom Changes

Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa is concerned that Formula One could suffer for the behind-the-scenes changes that have inundated the sport this winter.

The Arrows driver said that the Arrows team's changes in personnel made during the off-season - Steve Nielsen has left the Leafield-team and has been replaced by Michael Ainsley-Cowlishaw - could create problems for him in 2001.

"It is worrying when you are in a team where important technical staff are leaving," De la Rosa said. "From a driver's point of view it doesn't make you feel very comfortable.

"People don't realise how important it is to keep a working group together. The moment you start making big changes, maybe for the long term they are better, but they always affect you in the short term.

"Even if you bring a better person on board they maybe want to do things differently and at the end of the day you are slower on track initially."

Arrows are set to lose chief designer and aerodynamicist expert Eghbal Hamidy to Jordan, a move which has been rumoured for some time.