This week's Grapevine brings you information fresh from the paddock on: Arrows Upbeat Williams Getting Closer to BMW

Arrows Upbeat

It's been more than a week since Heinz-Harald Frentzen visited the Arrows factory, and the atmosphere at the team has been positive ever since.

Development moved on from the 2001 chassis to concentrating on next year's solution fairly early: having come out of the blocks well at the start of the season, it was apparent that the package was just not good enough to score points unless a lot of front runners dropped out. That said, running Jos Verstappen with low fuel continued to give flattering early race positions, and in turn brought in TV exposure - a vital aspect of generating income for the following year.

When the team announced that they had secured Cosworth engines for this year, there was a real sense of progress: the AMT engine has been sufficient, if barely, to demonstrate again that the team was able to build a decent chassis, so landing the Cosworth deal means all bodes well for the next year; given the funding of proper testing, anyway.

Looking forward to next year, little expense is being spared on what has the potential to be the team's best year yet. The latest specs on the engines Cosworth will be supplying has kept interest high. The unit is impressive all around: 20kg lighter than the AMT unit, offering around 45 bhp extra, and coming complete with a tried and tested electronics and software package. The new chassis is expected to come in at a similar weight to last year, but with the centre of gravity lowered, and a slightly larger fuel tank. This, alongside the slightly more efficient engine, should offer Arrows a viable shot at running fewer stops, without being a long way off the pace.

That said, there are some niggling doubts. Should the package live up to expectations, then predictions against next year's performance will put the car just behind the current Williams performance. The three front runners should all make some progress, so points will be impossible unless they, at least, suffer reliability problems. Then too, Renault are also widely expected to make a big step forward.

For now, however, none of that matters. Sauber demonstrated that fourth overall, with podium finishes, is possible for anyone who puts together a decent package and consistent season. Wins might not be forthcoming in 2002, but, at the very least, there are podiums to shoot for. And, after scoring only one point in 2001, that is certainly something to be upbeat about.

Williams Getting Closer to BMW

Prospects for the 2002 season look very interesting at Williams. Momentum from 2001 is at a high, following a very strong performance from the whole team, spearheaded by the excellent BMW powerplant. However, in order to maintain the momentum and progress up the grid, Frank Williams is finding himself working ever closer with BMW in all departments, in order to achieve the common goal.

One of the advantages of running a front running team, is that the revenue opportunities commanded are amongst the best in the paddock. Ferrari, of course, is the primary target of anyone with a serious brand to promote, but behind that, McLaren, Williams and Jordan are considered the top picks for brand promotion. Mostly, that is due to the results-oriented approach to racing the teams take, though Jordan have managed to corner the excellent "all things fun" angle of the glamorous market.

Historically, a works engine deal offers a team the chance to work with a manufacturer to receive it free for the season; usually, it includes working with the manufacturer to specify requirements, control development directions and compete at the leading edge of performance; however, Williams have taken a step further in their integration.

Back when discussions first opened with BMW, Williams were in a Supertec powered decline. Initial involvement should have been a simple case of providing BMW a chassis to test, then working with the manufacturer towards developing a tight, winning engine. However, losing tobacco sponsorship led to a funding void, and the threat of Williams finding themselves unable to put in the development and testing required to run an effective season at the front. Attempts to fill the void proved difficult, and, for the short term at least, things looked pretty tight.

However, the loss could be seen as a blessing in disguise. Without tobacco slogans on the car, it could now fit the clean-cut image that BMW's marketing department relies on. Accordingly, after careful negotiations, BMW became the team's title sponsor, helping to fund the team and bring in sponsorship money in addition to supplying engines, basically in return for the team running in BMW colours. The deal ensured that in future years, should success bring financial reward, the funding could run the other way, effectively supplementing the BMW engine budget. Of course, right now, the world market is on something of an advertising slowdown.

Marketing issues aside, since BMW started working with Williams on marketing, the relationship between the two companies continued to strengthen. It helps that each believes the other is delivering solid results, and that each works flat out to achieve results. It also helps that each operates with sympathy to the needs of the other: Frank Williams in not about to let anyone dictate how he runs his team, but he appears far more ready to hear about BMW's requirements than any other supplier before them. They, in turn, know that he will be ruthless in pursuing the best results for the team, including BMW, whatever the cost.

Back when BMW first became title sponsors to Williams, there was talk of shares changing hands, with BMW taking a serious stake in the team. At the time, all parties denied the need for it, stating their sporting commitment was sufficient proof that they would work well together, and time has borne it out. Now that Williams look firmly like staying key players at the front of the grid, there is little noise about ownership, except as an incentive to keep key employees. However, the strange thing is, for the first time the workers themselves believe the time could be right for the commitment to be formalised in an ownership fashion, and it seems to be based on unusually solid reasoning.

Neither Frank Williams nor Patrick Head is getting any younger. Whilst they still have plenty of good years in them, the time will come for at least one, and probably both, to retire, or at least step back from the front line. One possible route, offering almost no disruption within the team, is for BMW's involvement to simply continue growing over the coming years, until the team is, effectively, an autonomous extension of the BMW sporting arm.

The benefits could be far reaching. Consider the loss of key members, like Adrian Newey, is often put down to a lack of opportunity to move up within the team. A good share options scheme in the team, under the BMW umbrella, would have a significant impact. Also, as part of a bigger sporting department, there will be more, different opportunities for the restless to pursue. Lessons learned in other formulae could be applied unilaterally, without the Formula One effort being diluted by, for example, dabbling in the BTCC.

And then, of course, there's the advantage of being able to continue leaning on a far bigger parent in difficult times. Unless, of course, that parent decides it's time for a strategic withdrawal from the sport.