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.

Arrows FA1

Riccardo Patrese driving the FA1 at the 1978 British Grand Prix
Category	Formula One
Constructor	Arrows
Designer(s)	Tony Southgate (Technical Director) Dave Wass (Chief Designer)
Successor	A1
Technical specifications[1]
Chassis	Aluminium monocoque
Axle track	Front: 1,651 mm (65.0 in) Rear: 1,524 mm (60.0 in)
Wheelbase	2,590 mm (102 in)
Engine	Cosworth DFV, 2,993 cc (182.6 cu in), 90° V8, NA, mid-engine, longitudinally mounted
Transmission	Hewland FGA 400 5-speed manual
Weight	593 kg (1,307 lb)
Fuel	FINA / Valvoline
Tyres	Goodyear
Competition history
Notable entrants	Arrows Grand Prix International
Notable drivers	35. Riccardo Patrese 36. Rolf Stommelen
Debut	1978 Brazilian Grand Prix
Last event	1978 German Grand Prix
Races Wins Podiums Poles F/Laps 10 0 1 0 0
Constructors' Championships	0
Drivers' Championships	0

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 (and not a Shadow employee) that he owned the intellectual rights to the Shadow DN9 design. Based on this misconception Arrows 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,^[2] whilst the court case was being heard and did not miss a race.