Time Running Out for Arrows to be in France

The Arrows Formula One team have a day to resolve their financial problems or risk missing Sunday's French Grand Prix with serious consequences for their survival.

A spokeswoman confirmed on Tuesday that the trucks transporting the cars and equipment were still parked at the team's Leafield factory in southern England.

The deadline for official scrutineering at Magny-Cours in central France is 1400 GMT on Thursday and a team source said the cars would have to leave England by Wednesday evening at the latest to be presented in time.

Williams, whose factory at Grove is not far from Arrows' headquarters, and Silverstone-based Jordan both sent their trucks to France on Monday.

Arrows were granted an extension of scrutineering to Friday morning at the last British Grand Prix after they turned up at Silverstone without any cars on the Thursday.

The team can seek a similar extension for Magny-Cours, which would then be up to the race stewards. But sources suggested they would be unlikely to agree to do it for two races in succession. If they fail to race on Sunday, Arrows can expect to forfeit their right to compete in the Championship.

Close to Collapse

The team came close to collapse at Silverstone and drivers Enrique Bernoldi of Brazil and Germany's Heinz-Harald Frentzen only competed after team boss Tom Walkinshaw dipped into his own pocket to pay engine suppliers Cosworth.

A new deal was hammered out at Silverstone, under which Arrows agreed to pay Ford-owned Cosworth on a race-by-race basis with each instalment due on the Wednesday before a race. Formula One sources have put the amount owed to Cosworth to compete in France at about $1.5 million.

A spokesman for Cosworth had no details about engine payments but pointed out that there might be other reasons to delay the trucks' departure. Arrows are under extra time pressure since the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim is immediately afterwards on the following weekend, July 28, to allow for a three-week August break.

Walkinshaw, who was in meetings all day on Monday, wants to sell the team to Red Bull sports drink tycoon Dieter Mateschitz, but investors Morgan Grenfell have secured a High Court injunction to prevent that.

He said at Silverstone that he wanted to resolve the situation before Magny-Cours.

Formula One has already lost one team this year with Prost folding before the season started. Tail-enders Minardi said they were in danger until they received television money that would have gone to the French team.