 Thierry Boutsen driving the A8 at the1985 European Grand Prix | |||||||||
| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Arrows | ||||||||
| Designer | Dave Wass | ||||||||
| Predecessor | A7 | ||||||||
| Successor | A9 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications[1] | |||||||||
| Chassis | Aluminium andcarbon fibremonocoque | ||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Double wishbones, push-rod dampers | ||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | Double wishbones, pull-rod dampers | ||||||||
| Axle track | 1,778 millimetres (70.0 in) (Front) 1,651 millimetres (65.0 in) (Rear) | ||||||||
| Wheelbase | 2,794 millimetres (110.0 in) | ||||||||
| Engine | BMW M12/13, 1,499 cc (91.5 cu in),Straight 4,turbocharged,mid-engine,longitudinally mounted | ||||||||
| Transmission | Hewland 5-speedmanual | ||||||||
| Power | 900 brake horsepower (670 kW) @ 10,500 rpm 545 newton-metres (402 lbf⋅ft) @ 8,500 rpm | ||||||||
| Weight | 540 kg (1,190 lb) | ||||||||
| Tyres | Goodyear | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | BarclayArrowsBMW | ||||||||
| Notable drivers |  Gerhard Berger Thierry Boutsen Marc Surer Christian Danner | ||||||||
| Debut | 1985 Brazilian Grand Prix | ||||||||
| Last event | 1986 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
TheArrows A8 was aFormula One car, designed by Dave Wass, which theArrows team used to compete in the1985 and1986 Formula One seasons. Powered by theBMW M12turbocharged engine, its best finish was whenThierry Boutsen drove it to second place at the1985 San Marino Grand Prix.
The A8 was designed by Dave Wass and utilised a carbon-composite tub behind which was mounted theBMW M12turbocharged engine, the team continuing the use of this powerplant from the previous season. The engines were maintained bySwiss engine guru Heini Mader. A total of five A8 cars were built for 1985.[2]
For1985, Arrows continued with the Belgian driverThierry Boutsen whileGerhard Berger was contracted to drive the second entry. A podium finish was achieved by Boutsen atImola where he placed third but was later moved to second when winnerAlain Prost'sMcLaren was disqualified for being underweight.
Boutsen himself was lucky to finish the race having run out of fuel within sight of the flag, though he had enough momentum to be able to coast over the line still in third place. This proved to be the A8's high point as it was never again driven to a podium finish. The A8 scored 14 points during the 1985 season, placing Arrows eighth in the Constructors' Championship.
Arrows continued with the A8 for the1986 season, withMarc Surer andChristian Danner nominated as drivers. The team could only place tenth in the Constructors' Championship final standings due to Danner scoring a solitary point for sixth place at the1986 Austrian Grand Prix.[3] The team introduced a new car, theA9, midseason at theAustrian Grand Prix where it was driven by Boutsen. After qualifying 21st, Boutsen retired from the race with turbo failure. After a further two races at which it failed to finish, the A9 was shelved and the team persevered with the A8 for the remainder of the season.[4]
While Heini Mader did a good job in maintaining the team's BMW engines, they lacked the power of the same engines powering theBrabham and laterBenetton teams as those particular engines were continually maintained byBMW, giving them access to new parts, information and factory backed development that Mader did not have. This was shown in the results as the Arrows-BMWs rarely out-qualified or out-raced the Brabhams or Benettons.
(key) (results inbold indicate pole position; results initalics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | BarclayArrowsBMW | A8 | BMW M12/13Straight 4tc | G | BRA | POR | SMR | MON | CAN | DET | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | BEL | EUR | RSA | AUS | 14 | 8th | |
| Gerhard Berger | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 13 | 11 | Ret | 8 | 7 | Ret | 9 | Ret | 7 | 10 | 5 | 6 | |||||||
| Thierry Boutsen | 11 | Ret | 2 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | Ret | 4 | 8 | Ret | 9 | 10 | 6 | 6 | Ret | |||||||
| 1986 | BarclayArrowsBMW | A8 | BMW M12/13Straight 4tc | G | BRA | ESP | SMR | MON | BEL | CAN | DET | FRA | GBR | GER | HUN | AUT | ITA | POR | MEX | AUS | 1 | 10th | |
| Marc Surer | Ret | Ret | 9 | 9 | 9 | DNS | |||||||||||||||||
| Christian Danner | Ret | 9 | Ret | Ret | 6 | 8 | 11 | 9 | Ret | ||||||||||||||
| Thierry Boutsen | Ret | 7 | 7 | 8 | Ret | Ret | Ret | NC | 8 | Ret | 7 | 10 | 7 | Ret |
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