Trust Team Arden

1997

Arden was founded by former British Racing Driver Christian Horner at the beginning of 1997 in order to contest the FIA F3000 Championship, a European single seater category which is recognized world-wide as Formula One's understudy. Racing both in Europe and internationally, F3000 acts as the main support race at each European Grand Prix.

In Arden's debut year, the team entered one car for Christian Horner. During the year the team's progress was considerable, ending the season with point scoring finishes (top six) at the final two races.

1998

The team grew into a two-car operation recruiting Belgium Kurt Mollekens to join Horner for an assault on the 1998 title.

The season started exceptionally well with Mollekens scoring two-second places at both Imola and Barcelona. By the fourth round of the Championship the team were leading both the Team and Drivers Championships. Point finishes at Monaco and Pau followed before critical retirements during mid season saw the team lose ground in the title battle. Mollekens eventually finished 5th in the Drivers Championship with Arden achieving 7th in the Team Championship.

1999

Prior to the 1999 season Arden joined forces with Motorsport specialists Prodrive with backing from Russian Oil Giants Lukoil. During the season the team grew considerably, moving into a purpose built facility within Prodrive’s Banbury site. The experienced Marc Goossens returned to F3000 accompanied by the Russian rookie Victor Maslov. Despite huge potential the team endured miserable luck during the season finishing with a best finish of 3rd place in Budapest.

2000

Several key personnel changes including the recruiting of renowned F3000 Engineer Mick Cook from BAR together with the signing of the BAR test driver, Darren Manning, for the year 2000 saw Arden emerge as one of the leading teams in this closely contested Championship. Pole positions and a second place at Silverstone together with a third place in Austria were the highlights of the season contributing to Manning’s 8th place in the Drivers Championship. Russian Victor Maslov continued for a second season and developed into Russia’s leading European racing driver with several notable performances.

The team also expanded in the Euro F3000 Championship, with British driver Warren Hughes and Russian Maslov. A fantastic season unfolded. Three wins (Imola, Monza and Enna), two 2nds (Donnington and Misano) and two 3rds (Vallelunga and Misano) brought the Arden Team its first Championship Title.

- Euro F3000 Team Champions

2001

With Manning retained for 2001 the team looked set to challenge for the title within the International F3000 Championship. Winter testing had marked Manning out of the favourites and his early form including a 2nd place at Imola, confirmed that the team had the complete infrastructure to take overall honours. However despite managing the 3rd best qualifying average of the season Manning failed to turn good grid positions into results making too many unforced errors which gradually saw him slip away in the battle for the Championship.

2002

Darren Manning and Viktor Maslov were replaced by former Prost F1 Driver Tomas Enge and F3 graduate Bjorn Wirdheim. Also new for 2002 was a completely revised Lola Chassis in line with modern F1 regulations.

The team were immediately competitive from the first test, dominating pre-season testing which translated into five wins (Enge: Austria, Silverstone, Magny Cours & Budapest, Wirdheim: Monza), four 2nd positions and one 3rd position culminating in both Team and Drivers Championships. The team also recorded two 1-2 finishes in Austra and Monza. Unfortunately Enge’s Drivers Title was later revoked after recording a positive drug test at Budapest. Wirdheim finished Rookie of the Year in 4th position.

- FIA F3000 Team Championships

Arden provided engineering and technical support to the Charouz ISR Euro 3000 Team resulting in 2 wins (Donnington & Cagliari) with Drivers Jarek Janis and Yannick Schroeder. Janis secured 3rd position in the Drivers Title with the team taking 2nd place in the Team Championship.

Arden also produced the first F3000 double seater extending a Lola 96/50 by 46cm in order to accommodate a passenger which has been used extensively by the team’s commercial partners.

2003

Bjorn Wirdheim continued with the team for a second season partnered by former American Champ Car Driver, Townsend Bell.

Bjorn Wirdheim totally dominated the championship winning 3 races and finishing 2nd in all other events bar 1. Townsend Bell in his rookie season finished 9th in the Driver’s Championship with a best result of 3rd at Hungary and the team retained Team Championship.

- FIA F3000 Team and Driver Championships

2004

Over the winter the team contracted Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi, who finished as the highest place rookie (4th) in the 2003 FIA F3000 Championship, and Robert Doornbos, a graduate from the Euro F3 Championship.

Liuzzi dominated what was to be the last F3000 Championship, winning 7 of the 10 rounds and finishing second ad Hungary and Spa. In his rookie season Robert Doornbos finished 3rd in the Drivers Championship with 4 podium finishes including an excellent win at Spa.

The efforts of both drivers let to a third consecutive Team Championship and Liuzzi was crowned the last FIA Formula 3000 Drivers Champion.

2005

Following the first season of the GP2 Series, Arden finished 2nd in the overall Team Championship, with Heikki Kovalainen taking 2nd in the Drivers Championship and Nicolas Lapierre coming 11th.

2006

Following Arden’s second season in the GP2 Series, the team finished in fourth place with 57 points in the overall Team Championship with Nicolas Lapierre finishing 9th in the Drivers Championship, despite his accident in the Monaco Grand Prix putting him out of action until the German Grand Prix months later and Michael Ammermuller finishing 11th.

2007

Following Arden’s third season in the GP2 Series, the team finished in seventh place with 44 points in the Team Championship with Bruno Senna finishing 8th in the Drivers Championship with 34 points and Adrian Zaugg finishing in 18th place.

2008

In 2008, Arden will again compete in GP2, in both new GP2 Asia Series and Main Series.