FIA considers Arrows case

Arrows missed last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix after failing to complete a buy-out deal with American investors. The team had travelled to Spa, but packed up and went home on Friday night. Neither of the cars had run in the free practice sessions.

The FIA indicated over the weekend that it was losing patience with the team, which has been struggling to compete in Formula 1 since the British Grand Prix in July. The body asked for an explanation by Tuesday of this week, which it has received.

An FIA Statement read: "As has been widely reported, the FIA requested a written explanation from the Orange Arrows team regarding some of its recent actions in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

"The FIA has received a communication from Arrows which it is now studying. Any further comment would be inappropriate at this stage."

If the FIA is not satisfied that Walkinshaw can secure the future of the team, it could throw Arrows out of F1.

An FIA spokesperson said at the Belgian GP: "[The punishment] could go from a simple fine to being banned from the [F1] circuit. But before any decision is taken we must consider the large number of people who are employed by the team."

Arrows will argue that its failure to compete is down to force majeure, meaning that the cause is out of its control. But what constitutes force majeure is a matter of opinion.

The Belgian race was the second grand prix in succession that Arrows missed following its no-show in Hungary. And at the French GP, the team came under fire for making a half-hearted attempt to qualify for the race, ensuring that neither Heinz-Harald Frentzen nor Enrique Bernoldi made the cut.