Former F1 driver - who was Fernando Alonso's teammate - arrested in Brazil as lawyer stays silent
A retired F1 driver has been arrested in Brazil - and remains in police custody.
Tarso Marques racked up 24 race starts during his career, which saw him race exclusively with backmarkers Minardi.
He first entered the grid in 1996 and 1997, making 11 starts, before spending the 2001 season alongside a rookie Fernando Alonso.
Now Marques, 49, has been arrested in his native Brazil after being stopped by police on Sunday, August 31.
According to reports, Marques is alleged to have been driving a Lamborghini Gallardo through the streets of Sao Paulo without any number plates. He was arrested on suspicion of illegal possession of a luxury car.
The car had an accumulated debt of £177,000, police added. Their investigation is ongoing, and Marques’ lawyer has not commented on the matter.
In an interview with Aston Martin last year, Marques spoke highly of former teammate Alonso’s talents. The Spaniard is himself driving for Aston, with a contract that runs until the end of next season.
Marques said: “I had some great teammates in my career: David Coulthard, Giancarlo Fisichella, Jarno Trulli, Mark Webber - but Fernando was by far the best one.
“If I had to pick one driver for my team, I would choose Fernando. think he was better than Schumacher when they raced against each other and, Brazilians will get upset, I would say he’s better than Senna too.
“Fernando deserves more titles than he has. Those two world titles are great, but it’s not a true reflection of his talent.”