Tarso Marques
Being the son of the renowned Brazilian motorsport figure Pablo de Tarso, Marques was able to rely on family backing to propel him along the path towards Formula One, but did not have the staying power to remain in the top flight for any length of time. As with just about everyone of his countrymen to have made a career from motorsport, Marques started out in karting, and proved to have the ability to progress by winning both regional and national titles.
At the tender age of 16, he decided that the time was right to move on up to car racing, and elected to contest nationally-based Formula Chevrolet series – the equivalent of Formula Opel in Europe – in 1992. Despite his lack of experience, he again proved to be among the most talented individuals on show, and eventually took the title at the expense of luminaries including future IRL stars Tony Kanaan and Helio Castroneves.
Having clinched the title, the only move was onward to Formula 3, but even this proved to be within his capability as, still only 17, he became the youngest race and pole winner in the category while contesting the 1993 Brazilian and South American series.
Despite not actually winning either title, Marques believed that he had done enough to warrant another step up the ladder in 1994 – and it proved to be a big step as he left the comfort of his homeland to venture across the Atlantic to contest the FIA F3000 series in Europe. Signing for the Vortex team, he instantly became the youngest driver to tackle the F1 feeder series, and to score point in it. At the end of the year, he switched to the more competitive DAMS team, and at Estoril, added another record to his resume by becoming the youngest driver to win in the F3000 series. Surprisingly could not better the fifth place overall he had achieved in his debut year, eventually having to accept sixth in the points.
Despite that, however, Formula One opportunities beckoned and Tarso finally made his entry to the top flight with renowned talent spotters Minardi, having impressed the team with his performance at a snow-covered Fiorano test. The Italian team was also courting Giancarlo Fisichella for 1996, however, and the Brazilian's initial deal was for just the season's two South American races before he slipped into the role of test driver, both for Minardi and Bridgestone for the rest of the year. He left a mark on many people's pocketbook, however, by passing no fewer than eleven cars in his opening lap on debut at a rain-soaked at Interlagos before spinning out. His application was such that Giancarlo Minardi ushered him back into a race seat the following season, although his 1997 campaign was for only ten races after being called up as replacement for the Prost-bound Jarno Trulli. Unable to better tenth place, however, he was released at the end of the year and spent 1998 testing once again for Bridgestone
With no other F1 offers to consider, Marques turned his attention to America's Champ Car series where, having impressed in testing with the back-marker Payton-Coyne team, in 1999 he was offered the chance to replace injured veteran Al Unser Jr at Team Penske for three races. Unfortunately for Tarso that year was a fallow one for the squad being saddled with a less than competitive a tyres, engine and chassis combination. He finally joined forces with Payton-Coyne the following year, but running with the largely unproven Swift chassis made for a difficult campaign, and Marques managed just eleven points and 25th in the season standings.
Despite having been dropped by the Minardi at the end of 1997, Marques had always kept close tabs on the situation at Faenza and, when an opening appeared for 2001, he managed to engineer a return to Formula One. As before, the Italian team was a back marker in the top flight and always on the look out for sponsorship to keep afloat. Marques managed most of the season, largely in the shadow of Fernando Alonso. However best finishes of ninth in Brazil and Canada, but could not prevent his seat from going to wealthy Malaysian Alex Yoong for the final three races of the year.
For the next two seasons, little was heard from the Brazilian, although he continued to be linked to rides in both F1 and Champ Cars. He finally returned to Champ Cars in 2004, reunited with former boss Dale Coyne for two races at the start of the season, before being replaced by Gaston Mazzacane. He then returned to the team for the Mexico City finale after Argentine stepped down to concentrate on finding the budget for 2005. Marques then returned to Brazil, initially to compete in the Renault Megane and Clio series, but stood in for Christian Fittipaldi at Team Land Avallone in the stock car series. Taking a first ever win for his new team landed the Brazilian a full time seat, and the real chance to fight for the championship in 2007.
