Fernando Alonso’s former F1 teammate Tarso Marques arrested in Brazil – report

Jamie Woodhouse 02 Sep 2025 12:22 PM

Former Minardi F1 driver Tarso Marques

Tarso Marques – the very first Formula 1 teammate to Fernando Alonso – was arrested by police in Brazil for allegedly driving a stolen Lamborghini Gallardo.

The Brazilian ex-F1 racer is alleged to have received and driven the car, associated with long-standing debt issues, without numberplates attached. It has since been reported that Marques was released after paying bail.

Tarso Marques arrested in Brazil

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Brazilian publication Metrópoles claims, Marques, 49, was arrested early Sunday morning in Sao Palou by Brazilian military police, while allegedly driving the Lamborghini supercar which had been reported as stolen, and had debts attached to it totalling 1.3 million Brazilian reals, or approximately £182,000.

It has been alleged that Marques was driving the car without its licence plates.

Following his arrest, it was stated that the 22,700 Brazilian reals bail fee was met after Marques appeared at the São Paulo Court of Justice.

Marques made 24 grand prix starts in his Formula 1 career, all of those coming with popular backmarker outfit Minardi.

After stints with the team during 1996 and 1997, yielding a best result of 12th, Marques returned for the 2001 campaign, twice finishing a career-best ninth.

That year, he partnered rookie Fernando Alonso. His pair of ninths ensured that Marques ended the season ahead of his young teammate in the championship, though neither driver registered a point.

His tenure with the team came under threat midway through the 2001 season, as the beleaguered squad battled for survival, with his cause not helped by a string of poor results.

“Tarso is not a pay driver,” said Minardi team boss Paul Stoddart at the time.

“He’s on a race-by-race contract, there’s no secret about that, and the guy knows that we are great friends and we will be great friends if I do replace him throughout the year.

“We’ve always said that if somebody came along that provided the team with a serious budget and talent that we would change.”

Following a 13th place finish in that year’s Belgian Grand Prix, three events on from failing to qualify in Britain, Marques was dropped in favour of Alex Yoong.

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During his time away from F1, Marques headed to the United States, where he campaigned with Team Penske and Dale Coyne Racing in the 1999 and 2000 CART seasons.

He returned to the US in 2004, again with Dale Coyne Racing, where he competed in a smattering of races, recording a best result of 11th in Cleveland.

Thereafter, he returned to his native Brazil, where he became a Stock Car Brasil race winner aboard a Mitsubishi Lancer.

Since stepping away from motorsport, Marques has founded TMC, a business which produces custom cars and motorcycles.

According to its website, “TMC has become a world reference and synonym for quality in the customization of cars and motorcycles and development of “tailor-made” projects for several other segments, including airplanes, boats and helicopters.”