The 1980 season, with 11 points and seventh in the Constructors' standings, was one of the best for Arrows Grand Prix International, thanks in part to the excellent A3 car designed by Tony Southgate and Dave Wass. However, the exit of sponsor Warsteiner, which had not only brought a stunning gold livery but also substantial funding, left the British team with limited resources to design a new car.
 |
| ARROWS A3, Siegfried Stohr Imola, San Marino GP 1981 |
Southgate's departure to Theodore Racing further drained the team’s technical resources, leaving Wass, now technical director, in charge. The only viable option for the 1981 season was to reuse the Arrows A3, modified to comply with the new technical regulations banning sliding skirts. Wass made several changes to compensate for the loss of aerodynamic downforce, such as adding a cantilever wing to the front nose, lightening the car, and reinforcing the chassis with carbon fiber sheets. These updates gave the A3 a notable performance boost, making it competitive against the best cars in the field. Additionally, the switch to Michelin radial tires, better suited to the car’s characteristics, enhanced performance.
 |
| ARROWS A3, Riccardo Patrese Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1981 |
New “Italian” sponsors, Ceramiche Ragno and Beta Utensili, "suggested" the selection of Italian rookie Siegfried Stohr to partner the confirmed Riccardo Patrese. Patrese had a sensational start to the season, taking pole position at the opening race in Long Beach. He led the race until forced to retire due to a blocked fuel filter. He then secured a third place in Brazil and a second at Imola, positioning himself as a strong title contender, reinforced by another second place at Monaco, which was lost due to a gearbox failure.
 |
| ARROWS A3, Riccardo Patrese Jarama, Spanish GP 1981 |
Mid-season, Michelin decided to stop supplying teams without contracts signed before 1981, forcing Arrows to switch to the less competitive Pirelli tires. The team’s performance dropped significantly, and the rest of the season became forgettable. Stohr was even benched and replaced by Jacques Villeneuve, Gilles' brother, for the last two races of the championship.
 |
| ARROWS A3, Jacques Villeneuve Las Vegas, Caesars Grand Prix 1981 |
In 1981, the Arrows cars of Patrese and Stohr were also involved in a horrific accident at Zolder. Patrese stalled on the grid from the second row, and mechanic Dave Luckett entered the track moments before the green light to restart his car. Stohr, starting from row seven, couldn’t see Patrese’s car in time and slammed into it, severely injuring the mechanic, breaking both his arms and legs. Despite the strong start, Arrows finished the 1981 season with only 10 points and eighth in the Constructors’ standings.
Comments
Post a Comment