Ross Brawn, who would later achieve considerable fame at Benetton, Ferrari, and Mercedes, designed the A11 as the team responded to the new engine regulations. The normally-aspirated formula created a more level playing field after years of turbo dominance, and Arrows went into 1989 with genuine optimism. The Ford Cosworth DFR was a well-developed unit that gave the team a reliable technical foundation.
The A11 was raced by Derek Warwick and Eddie Cheever in 1989, and the season proved to be one of the more competitive in Arrows' history. Warwick finished in the top six on five occasions and at one point briefly challenged for victory at the Canadian Grand Prix, demonstrating that the car had genuine race-winning potential on its day. Cheever contributed a notable third-place finish at the United States Grand Prix in Phoenix, Arizona — his home city — which stands as one of the better results in Arrows' history. The team accumulated 13 points and finished seventh in the Constructors' Championship.
For 1990, the car received minor suspension upgrades and was designated the A11B. Warwick and Cheever were replaced by Italian drivers Michele Alboreto and Alex Caffi. The season was considerably less successful. The car failed to qualify on seven occasions, reflecting both the improving pace of rivals and the limited development the car had received. The sole points finish came when Caffi took fifth place at Monaco, a circuit where low straight-line speed is less of a handicap. Caffi also missed the United States and Spanish Grands Prix through injury, with German driver Bernd Schneider standing in on both occasions. The two points from Monaco gave Arrows ninth in the Constructors' Championship.
By the start of 1991, the Arrows team had been taken over by the Japanese Footwork Corporation and renamed accordingly. The team had also secured a supply of Porsche V12 engines for the new season, but when the new car — designated the FA12 — was ready, it became clear that the large Porsche 3512 engine could not fit within its design. As a stopgap, the team modified the A11B into the A11C to accommodate the Porsche unit and used it in the first two races of the season, as well as at San Marino after Alboreto damaged his redesigned FA12 during practice. The ageing design managed only one qualifying appearance in those five attempts, with Alboreto making the grid in the United States. The A11C was then permanently retired, closing the chapter on one of the more consequential cars in Arrows' history.
The A11 represents a high-water mark for Arrows in terms of outright competitiveness. The 1989 season's results — including a podium finish and a near-victory — demonstrated that the team and Ross Brawn's design were capable of fighting at the front of the midfield. The car's decline over subsequent seasons reflected the resource gap between Arrows and the leading constructors rather than any fundamental flaw in the original concept.
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