Arrows FA1


The Arrows FA1 was a Formula One car used by the Arrows Grand Prix International team during the first half of the 1978 Formula One season.
The FA1 was in reality a Shadow DN9, which Tony Southgate had designed for Shadow whilst working as a consultant for them. Southgate mistakenly believed that because he had designed the Shadow DN9 whilst working as a consultant that he owned the intellectual rights to the Shadow DN9 design. Based on this misconception Arrows went ahead and built the FA1, which was essentially a carbon copy of the DN9.
The FA1 was banned by the London High Courts partway through the 1978 season after a legal protest from the Shadow team, on the grounds was a blatant copy of the DN9. The judgement handed down ruled that over 70% of the FA1 was identical to the DN9 and that all four Arrows FA1's should be broken up by Arrows and their parts handed over to the Shadow team.
Knowing it would lose the case, Arrows hurriedly designed and built a new car, the A1, whilst the court case was being heard and did not miss a race.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

YearEntrantEngineTyresDrivers12345678910111213141516PointsWCC
Arrows Racing TeamFord Cosworth DFVARGBRARSAUSWMONBELESPSWEFRAGBRGERAUTNEDITAUSACAN11 10th
Arrows Racing TeamFord Cosworth DFVRiccardo Patrese10Ret66RetRet28Ret911 10th
Arrows Racing TeamFord Cosworth DFVRolf Stommelen99RetRet141415DNQDSQ11 10th

3 points scored using the A1.