Diniz wins court battle with Arrows.

Pedro Diniz has overturned a legal charge brought against him by Arrows boss tom Walkinshaw, which claimed breach of contract when the Brazilian quit the team in late 1998.

Diniz signed for Arrows to partner then world champion Damon Hill in 1997, and stayed on for a further season in '98 after the Briton jumped ship to Jordan. As was always the case with Diniz, his personal sponsorship proved vital for the struggling Leafield team, and formed the basis for the legal battle when he decided to take the money to Sauber for 1999.

Walkinshaw sought justice immediately, claiming that the Brazilian had breached his contract with Arrows, prompting a legal battle that has dragged on for several seasons, albeit behind the scenes of much else that has gone on in Formula One since.

The Court of Appeal in London has now rejected, in full, Arrows' appeal against an earlier judgement handed down in February 2001. The alleged breach of contract was not taken into consideration by the court, which said that Diniz's move to Sauber was above board.

The Brazilian has since retired from the cockpit in F1 and, after a brief spell as a shareholder in the doomed Prost outfit, is currently exploring other options in the sport. Walkinshaw remains at the head of the Arrows outfit, which is currently pondering its second driver for 2002 - despite having Jos Verstappen apparently tied to a contract the Dutchman signed in the middle of 2001!