Grapevine: Arnoux Not Discouraged by Spin

Arnoux completed half a lap of a wet Donington Park circuit before spinning into the gravel at Coppice while demonstrating the car on the practice day at this weekend's World Series by Renault meeting.

The Frenchman then declined the chance to demonstrate the car again the following day and left driving duties to official test driver Franck Montagny, who had been at the Belgian Grand Prix 24 hours earlier.

Arnoux, who is one of the big names signed up for 600 bhp GP Masters series, chose only to take part in the Renault Histoire et Collection parade on race day.

Arnoux told Autosport-Atlas: "I might drive the car again at the next meeting at Estoril, but I didn't want to risk driving a new car when it was raining again. It was a bad decision to use the new car.

"I made a mistake. I got to the corner, and it was wet and I spun. These new Formula One cars have so much technology on them. I was happy to drive the old car."

Despite the setback, Arnoux is enthusiastic about racing in the new GP Masters series, which begins in Kyalami in November.

"Drivers like [Nigel] Mansell, [Riccardo] Patrese, it will all be great fun," he added. "It will start off friendly, and then we will see how competitive it gets."