Footwork, facing severe economic difficulties in early 1996, was acquired by Tom Walkinshaw after negotiations to take over Guy Ligier's shares to the French team. The Footwork FA17 had the Hart V8 engine, definitely short on power. The pilots, Verstappen and Rosset, did what they could. Verstappen was sixth in Argentina, securing Footwork the only point of 1996. Thanks to that point, however, the team was able to figure in ninth place in the final constructors' standings.