DAMON HILL, who has hinted that he might leave Arrows if the Formula One team's fortunes do not improve, could be encouraged to stay for another season after designer John Barnard's decision to join the struggling outfit.

Britain's world champion has failed to finish any of the opening five races this season and, after crashing out of the San Marino Grand Prix two weeks ago, gave Arrows a deadline of the middle of the year to put things right.

"It is beginning to get into the phase when, if we don't make some progress or if things aren't done, we are going to be floundering," Hill said. "We are going to be slipping further and further down the field.

"I became a victim of not planning ahead enough last season, so I am making sure that doesn't happen this time."

Hill, of course, won the title with Williams, but was dropped from the team at the end of last season.

Although Barnard is likely to concentrate his work on next year's car, it is probable that he will make improvements to the current Arrows-Yamaha A18, which was designed by Frank Dernie, who has now left the team.

Barnard has established himself as one of the sport's top designers after successful spells with the McLaren, Benetton and Ferrari teams.

Most recently he worked for Ferrari, spending five seasons spearheading the Italian team's assault on the World Championship from his base in Surrey.

Barnard left Ferrari earlier this year when the Italian team decided to concentrate their design activities in Italy.

Pole qualifying for the 81st Indianapolis 500 is set for this Saturday. The race is scheduled for 200 laps around the 2.5-mile (4 km) oval on May 25th.

Among the drivers who began practicing yesterday were defending champion Buddy Lazier, 1990 champion Arie Luyendyk, rising star Tony Stewart, two-time runner-up Scott Goodyear and Gary Bettenhausen, a 55-year-old veteran of 21 Indy 500 starts.

Meanwhile United States Auto Club chief steward Keith Ward said that rookie training would continue daily as needed in the morning hours to allow drivers a chance to complete the first four phases of the five-phase USAC test for the race.

"We'll do it on a day-by-day basis as necessary," Ward said.