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 years19961997, 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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