L'Arrows A4 and a sponsor that did not go unnoticed

The Arrows A4 was a Formula 1 single-seater that debuted in the 1982 South African Grand Prix, entrusted to Brian Henton and Mauro Baldi. On that occasion, however, neither managed to qualify for the race. The design, signed by Dave Wass, included an aluminum monocoque equipped with a Ford Cosworth engine, Hewland FGA400 gearbox and Pirelli tires. Overall, the car did not prove particularly competitive.

During the 1982 championship the A4, which had an adult magazine among its sponsors on the livery, was entered in 15 Grand Prix and collected a total of 5 points: the best result was a fifth place obtained by Marc Surer at the Canadian Grand Prix, to which were added three sixth places, two won by Mauro Baldi and one more by Surer.

Arrows Grand Prix International was a British Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, founded in 1977 by Italian financier Franco Ambrosio together with former Shadow team members Alan Rees, Jackie Oliver, Dave Wass and Tony Southgate. The team’s name, in addition to recalling the English meaning of “arrows,” was derived as an acronym, albeit not a perfect one, from the founders’ initials.

Officially born in November 1977, Arrows was initially to be based in Italy and named Ambrosio Racing Team, in homage to its main sponsor. Much of the staff came from Shadow, as did the lead driver Riccardo Patrese, later joined by Rolf Stommelen. In just 53 days the first single-seater was built, the Arrows FA1, which made its debut at the Brazilian Grand Prix amidst much controversy, as it was judged to be an almost identical copy of the Shadow DN9.

In 1981 Patrese achieved the only pole position in the team’s history, at the Long Beach circuit, leading the race until his retirement caused by mechanical problems. Much less incisive was teammate Siegfried Stohr, who never managed to score points. The season was also marked by a serious accident at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix: Stohr, who started from the last positions, rear-ended Patrese who had remained stationary on the grid with the engine off, running over mechanic Dave Luckett, who had imprudently entered the track to try to restart the car. At the end of the year, Arrows finished eighth in the constructors’ world championship.