Tarso Marques

Tarso Anibal Santanna Marques (born 19 January 1976) is a Brazilian racing driver. He participated in 24 Formula One Grands Prix, all driving for the Minardi team, but scored no championship points in three separate seasons and never completed a full year in the sport.

Tarso Marques
Marques in 2007, as a Stock Car Brasil driver
Born (1976-01-19) 19 January 1976
Curitiba, Brazil
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality Brazilian
Active years1996–1997, 2001
TeamsMinardi
Entries26 (24 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1996 Brazilian Grand Prix
Last entry2001 Belgian Grand Prix

Career

After five years of karting, Marques raced in Formula Chevrolet in his home country aged only 16, and he won the title at his first attempt. In 1993 he moved up to Formula Three Sudamericana and subsequently European Formula 3000, and became the youngest driver to win races at both levels. In 1996, he started racing for Minardi in Formula One, competing with various drivers for the seat over the following two years, including Giancarlo Fisichella, Jarno Trulli and Pedro Lamy. Minardi's financial situation demanded that drivers with strong sponsorship were generally favoured, and there were several driver changes in the team at that time.

In 1999, he moved stateside to drive in the American Champ Car ranks, and caught the eye of legendary team-owner Roger Penske. When two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr. was injured, Penske asked him to fill in. His best finish was 9th. In 2000, 2004, and 2005, he drove sporadically in that series for perennial minnows Dale Coyne Racing, with a best result of 11th.

Marques returned to Formula One in 2001 to race alongside future double World Champion Fernando Alonso in the Minardi team, newly purchased by Paul Stoddart. He finished the season ahead of the Spaniard but it was a difficult season for Marques, with the team's financial difficulties not always allowing equal equipment for both drivers. Marques brought no money to the team and was employed under the provision that another driver with more sponsorship money could replace him at any point in the season,[1] and that prospect was realised towards the end of the year, when Minardi replaced Marques with Alex Yoong with three races remaining. Marques welcomed the driver change as the extra finance would enable the team to progress, adding, "Yoong brought the sponsor for the team already two or three races ago so he should be in the car."[2] His two ninth-place finishes remained Minardi's best results of the season, but he was nearly always outpaced by Alonso. Marques would however remain at Minardi for 2002 as the test and reserve driver.[3] Despite this, he did not replace Yoong later in the season when the Malaysian was dropped, with the seat instead going to Anthony Davidson, and Justin Wilson also being offered the drive ahead of Marques.[4]

Since his last Champ Car outing in 2005, Marques has returned to South America to drive in the TC2000 and Stock Car Brasil touring car championships.

Racing record

Complete International Formula 3000 results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 DC Points
1994 Vortex Motorsport SIL
13		 PAU
Ret		 CAT
DNS		 PER
12		 HOC
10		 SPA
8		 EST
12		 MAG
4		 15th 3
1995 DAMS SIL
12		 CAT
3		 PAU
Ret		 PER
Ret		 HOC
Ret		 SPA
5		 EST
1		 MAG
Ret		 5th 15

Complete Formula One results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 WDC Points
1996 Minardi Team Minardi M195B Ford V8 AUS BRA
Ret		 ARG
Ret		 EUR SMR MON ESP CAN FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR JPN NC 0
1997 Minardi Team Minardi M197 Hart V8 AUS BRA ARG SMR MON ESP CAN FRA
Ret		 GBR
10		 GER
Ret		 HUN
12		 BEL
Ret		 ITA
14		 AUT
EX		 LUX
Ret		 JPN
Ret		 EUR
15		 NC 0
2001 European Minardi F1 Minardi PS01 European V10 AUS
Ret		 MAL
14		 BRA
9		 SMR
Ret		 ESP
16		 AUT
Ret		 MON
Ret		 CAN
9		 EUR
Ret		 FRA
15		 GBR
DNQ		 GER
Ret		 22nd 0
Minardi PS01B HUN
Ret		 BEL
13		 ITA USA JPN

American open-wheel racing

(key)

CART/Champ Car
Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Rank Points
1999 Team Penske Penske PC-27 Mercedes-Benz IC108E V8t MIA MOT
14		 LBH
25		 NAZ RIO
9		 GAT
26		 MIL POR
18		 27th 4
Lola B99/00 CLE
24		 ROA TOR MIC DET MDO CHI VAN LAG HOU SRF FON
2000 Dale Coyne Racing Swift 011.c Ford XF V8t MIA LBH
WDN		 RIO MOT
17		 NAZ
12		 MIL
20		 DET
10		 POR
15		 CLE
24		 TOR
21		 MIC
12		 CHI
18		 MDO
18		 ROA
23		 VAN
22		 LS
18		 GAT
15		 HOU
17		 SRF
13		 FON
7		 25th 11
2004 Dale Coyne Racing Lola B02/00 Ford XFE V8t LBH
18		 MTY
18		 MIL POR CLE TOR VAN ROA DEN MTL LS LVS SRF MXC
18		 22nd 9^
2005 Dale Coyne Racing Lola B02/00 Ford XFE V8t LBH MTY MIL POR CLE
11		 TOR EDM SJO DEN MTL LVS SRF MXC   24th 10

^ New points system implemented in 2004.

References
  1. "Marques knows he could go, says Stoddart". Atlas F1. 2 August 2001. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  2. "Marques hoping to stay in Formula One". Atlas F1. 22 August 2001. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  3. NewsOnF1.com. "News On F1 - Formula 1 News - 20 - 27 August 2001". www.newsonf1.com. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
  4. "BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Formula One | Wilson in line for Minardi drive". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
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