Formula One Stories  > 1991 Footwork Arrows FA12

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1991 Footwork Arrows FA12

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1991 Footwork Arrows FA12 on display at the San Diego Automotive Museum

Footwork Arrows was a British Formula One motor racing team which competed from 1991 to 1996. Japanese businessman Wataru Ohashi, who was the president of Footwork Express Co., Ltd., a Japanese logistics company, began investing heavily in the Arrows team in 1990 (having sponsored a Japanese Formula 3000 team), the deal including requiring the cars to display the Footwork logo prominently. The team was officially renamed Footwork in 1991 and secured a deal to race with Porsche engines. Results were poorer than expected, and after just six races, Footwork dropped the Porsche engines and continued with Hart-built Ford engines.

The Footwork FA12 was a Formula One car designed and built by the Footwork Arrows team for the 1991 season. The number 9 car was driven by Michele Alboreto and the number 10 car was shared by Alex Caffi and Stefan Johansson. The team had no test driver.

The FA12 was intended to start the season, but the new Porsche 3512 engine was so large and bulky that the car had to be re-designed to install it properly, so a 1990-based car called the A11C was used for the first three race meetings.

1991 Footwork Arrows FA12 on display at the San Diego Automotive Museum
1991 Footwork Arrows FA12 on display at the San Diego Automotive Museum

The Footwork FA12 was a Formula One car designed and built by the Footwork Arrows team for the 1991 season. The number 9 car was driven by Michele Alboreto and the number 10 car was shared by Alex Caffi and Stefan Johansson. The team had no test driver.

The FA12 was intended to start the season, but the new Porsche 3512 engine was so large and bulky that the car had to be re-designed to install it properly, so a 1990-based car called the A11C was used for the first three race meetings.

1991 Footwork Arrows FA12 on display at the San Diego Automotive Museum

The FA12 finally debuted at the San Marino Grand Prix, where Caffi failed to qualify the new car (Alboreto still had an A11C). For the following Monaco Grand Prix both drivers had FA12s - Caffi once again failed to qualify and Alboreto retired from the race. Stefan Johansson replaced Caffi at the Canadian Grand Prix after Caffi sustained injuries in a road accident; this time both drivers qualified but both also retired from the race. The Mexican Grand Prix was the last appearance of the Porsche engine; Johansson failed to qualify and Alboreto again retired from the race.

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See the 1991 Footwork Arrows FA12 at the San Diego Automotive Museum

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