According to BBC Sport Online, Arrows must convince the FIA, motorsport's governing body, that they are in a fit state to continue competing in F1 by 1800 BST today (Tuesday). The struggling team has missed three of the last four rounds of the championship, saying that competing may have interfered with ongoing negotiations with potential investors.

F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says the team cannot continue in this way without a satisfactory explanation to the FIA.

"Enough was enough maybe a few races ago," Ecclestone said prior to the Belgium Grand Prix. "So we'll see what happens now.

"They are saying they are not here because it's force majeure, it's out of their control, and if they can prove that, maybe they've got chances to hang on.

"But if they can't, they probably won't go to Monza."

F1 regulations mean a team would be thrown out of the championship if it misses races because of insolvency.

An FIA spokesman said: "We've asked Arrows for a detailed explanation about their state of health following certain decisions over the past few weeks. We will then decide which position to adopt.

"Before any decision is taken we must consider the large number of people who are employed with the team."