Concern at Arrows

The Arrows Formula One manager Tom Walkinshaw, sent his cars off to France last night with the future of his team still hanging in the balance.

The transporters left the team's base at Leafield in Oxfordshire for Magny-Cours for Sunday's race as talks continued with potential new investors.

Last week Walkinshaw was forced to spend £3.2m of his personal fortune to pay money owed to engine suppliers Cosworth and ensure the team's entry at Silverstone. He has since been in talks with potential backers having been stopped in the High Court from selling the team's assets to soft drinks giants Red Bull by Morgan Grenfell bank, which own 70 per cent of the team.

"We have new investors waiting to step in and secure our future, but we still have to come to agreement with existing shareholders," Walkinshaw said. Arrows would face a fine of around £330,000 per car if they did not take to the grid in France but, more seriously, it could result in them missing the rest of the championship.