Arrows A19

Last updated
Arrows A19
Arrows A19.jpg
The A19 of Mika Salo
Category Formula One
Constructor Arrows
Designers John Barnard (Technical Director)
Mike Coughlan (Engineering Director)
Paul Bowen (Chief Designer)
Jean-Paul Gousset (Design Office Coordinator)
Gary Savage (Head of R&D)
Simon Jennings (Head of Aerodynamics)
Brian Hart (Engine Director - Hart)
Predecessor A18
Successor A20
Technical specifications
Chassis carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite structure
Suspension (front)double wishbones, pushrod
Suspension (rear)double wishbones, pushrod
Engine Arrows T2-F1 ( Hart 1030 ) 72-degree V10
Transmission Arrows six-speed longitudinal sequential semi-automatic
Power700 (522 kW) hp @ 15,000 rpm [1]
Fuel Elf
Tyres Bridgestone
Competition history
Notable entrants Danka Zepter Arrows
Notable drivers16. Flag of Brazil.svg Pedro Diniz
17. Flag of Finland.svg Mika Salo
Debut 1998 Australian Grand Prix
Last event 1998 Japanese Grand Prix
RacesWins Poles F/Laps
16000
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0

The Arrows A19 was the car with which the Arrows Formula One team competed in the 1998 Formula One World Championship. It was driven by Brazilian Pedro Diniz, who was in his second season with the team, and Finn Mika Salo, who had moved from Tyrrell to replace Jordan-bound Damon Hill.

Contents

Development

Tom Walkinshaw had persuaded John Barnard to join the team as technical director the previous year, and he set to work on the next car. 1998 was a year of unfulfilled promise from Arrows. The cars looked highly distinctive with an almost completely black livery. [2] The car's main weakness was its engine. Tom Walkinshaw, the Team Principal of Arrows, had bought into Brian Hart's engine company and thus Arrows became the first British F1 team to produce their own engines since BRM in 1977. [3] Walkinshaw explained the move as a chance to push the team's engineering further forward and to cut costs on paying for customer engines. However, Hart's budget was not enough to compete with the major car manufacturers who supplied most of the other teams, and the problems were exacerbated by the car not being completed on time. [4] Barnard had designed a carbon fibre gearbox for the A19, but it proved troublesome throughout the year, affecting results. Barnard was also moonlighting, designing parts for Prost, which did not endear him to Walkinshaw. By the end of the season, Barnard had left the team, replaced by Mike Coughlan. [5]

Race history

The A19 proved to be quite unreliable throughout the season, particularly in the first few Grands Prix, culminating in an embarrassing simultaneous engine failure at the 1998 Spanish Grand Prix. However, the next race at Monaco proved the effectiveness of the chassis: on a circuit where engine power is not so vital, the cars were competitive and scored a double-points finish. [6] Thereafter, the cars were too slow and unreliable to be serious contenders, although Diniz salvaged fifth place at the chaotic 1998 Belgian Grand Prix. During the same weekend, Salo destroyed his car during the Saturday practice session at Eau Rouge and wrote off another chassis in the multi-car pile-up at the start of the race.

The poor performance of the Hart engine caused Tom Walkinshaw to look for an alternative. Discussions for a deal with Toyota came to nothing and with Barnard leaving in December and an attempted sale to Zakspeed falling through, Arrows were forced to soldier on in 1999. [7]

The team eventually finished a respectable seventh in the Constructors' Championship, with six points.

Sponsorship and livery

The A18 sported an all black livery. Lack of funds resulted in both Danka and Zepter sponsorships being terminated from the team.

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

YearEntrantEngineTyresDrivers12345678910111213141516PointsWCC
1998 Danka Zepter Arrows Arrows V10 B AUS BRA ARG SMR ESP MON CAN FRA GBR AUT GER HUN BEL ITA LUX JPN 67th
Pedro Diniz RetRetRetRetRet6914RetRetRet115RetRetRet
Mika Salo RetRetRet9Ret4Ret13RetRet14RetDNSRet14Ret

References

  1. "Engine Arrows • STATS F1".
  2. "Livery of the Day – Arrows A19". 23 July 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  3. Henry, Alan (7 July 2014). "Me and my Arrows". Motor Sport. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  4. Collins, Aaron (4 January 2019). "F1: The Demise of Arrows Grand Prix & TWR" . Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  5. "John Barnard's Finest: Some of the Greatest of Barnard's Design". conceptcarz.com. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  6. "Monaco Grand Prix Review". atlasf1.autosport.com. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  7. "Salo Confirms Arrows Engine Search". Crash.net. 23 December 1998. Retrieved 25 January 2020.