The Arrows team has finally been dispatched to Magny Cours by team boss Tom Walkinshaw as he fights to save his team and enable it to compete in this weekend's French Grand Prix. While most of the British teams sent their cars and equipment off to Magny-Cours yesterday (15th July), the Arrows transporters did not depart their Leafield facility until today. Having missed the Friday free practice session at the British GP, it is understood the team still has to make a further payment to Cosworth to guarantee a supply of engines for this weekend’s French GP.

Team boss Tom Walkinshaw maintains he does not want to put his team personnel through the uncertainty they faced in Silverstone. The team’s future still hangs with investment bank Morgan Grenfell, who own 45% of the shares in the team. The bank had placed an injunction on the team, preventing it from selling further shares.

Walkinshaw hoped a deal could be arranged by the end of today (16th July.) If successful, then although the spotlight has fallen on energy drinks maker Red Bull as a potential new partner, a spokesperson for the team said other companies were also waiting in the wings to take a slice of the action.

"I have instructed the team to despatch the cars and transporters to Magny-Cours this evening," Walkinshaw told BBC On-Line," and we will do all in our power to compete at the weekend.  We'll keep on trying and hope that common sense and responsibility prevail."

The news that the team has departed for France must be a positive sign, though it appears that Walkinshaw is taking the complex negotiations one day at a time as he works to steer the Arrows team through its current crisis and into the hands of new partners.

Update: The following statement was released by Arrows late this afternoon (Wednesday).

"Arrows would like to clarify that, contrary to today's press reports, our participation in the French Grand Prix has nothing to do with engine supply. All payments to Cosworth Racing are up to date and, as stated before, the terms of the agreement are confidential. The issues we have are nothing to do with Cosworth, they are to do with one of our shareholders. We are still in discussions and, as we said yesterday, will do all in our power to compete this weekend."