Footwork FA12

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.

Footwork FA12
Footwork FA12C

Category	Formula One
Constructor	Footwork Arrows
Designer(s)	Alan Jenkins (Technical Director) Dave Amey (Chief Designer)
Predecessor	Arrows A11C
Successor	FA13
Technical specifications[1][2]
Chassis	Carbon fibre and Kevlar monocoque
Engine	FA12: mid-engine, longitudinally-mounted, 3,499 cc (213.5 cu in), Porsche 3512, 80° V12, NA FA12C: mid-engine, longitudinally-mounted, 3,493 cc (213.2 cu in), Ford DFR, 90° V8, NA
Transmission	Hewland Transverse 6-speed semi-automatic
Power	680 hp @ 13,000 rpm (FA12 Porsche V-12),[3] 620-630 hp @ 11,250 rpm (FA12C Ford-Cosworth V-8)[4]
Fuel	Shell
Tyres	Goodyear
Competition history
Notable entrants	Footwork Grand Prix International
Notable drivers	9. Michele Alboreto 10. Alex Caffi 10. Stefan Johansson
Debut	1991 San Marino Grand Prix
Last event	1991 Australian Grand Prix
Races Wins Poles F/Laps 14 0 0 0
Constructors' Championships	0
Drivers' Championships	0

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,[5] so a 1990-based car called the A11C was used for the first three race meetings.[6]

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;[7] 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.

Before the next race in France, the team switched to the Ford-Cosworth DFR 3.5 litre V8 engine, in a modified version of the car designated the FA12C.[8] But results were not much better; the last 10 races of the season yielded only 7 starts and 4 finishes, with a best placing of 10th.