MAY 17, 1999

Tom and BAR talking engines

TOM WALKINSHAW of the Arrows team and British American Racing's Craig Pollock spent a lot of time talking at Monaco and there is little doubt that the talks involved the supply of Supertec engines to Arrows next year.

TOM WALKINSHAW of the Arrows team and British American Racing's Craig Pollock spent a lot of time talking at Monaco and there is little doubt that the talks involved the supply of Supertec engines to Arrows next year. BAR has a contract to use the engines next year and will have to pay around $15m in compensation if, as expected, the team switches to Honda. Rather than giving the money to Supertec for nothing, Pollock is trying to figure out a deal for Walkinshaw to pay BAR to use the engines. This will enable BAR to minimize the amount of compensation necessary and will give Walkinshaw the French engines at rather less than the listed price - which suits Tom very well as the team is struggling for cash. In addition Walkinshaw's current engine, designed by Brian Hart, is not getting the development necessary as there continue to be a dispute between Walkinshaw and Hart over payment for Walkinshaw's purchase of Hart's company at the start of last year. We believe that legal action between the two is continuing.