marques linked with new f1 team

[mjolnir]

from http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=150405

Marques did off-season testing for Coyne in 1999, at that time helping develop the Swift chassis. He signed to drive Formula One, but despite a two-year contract the team he was working with never took to the grid, leaving Marques with a two-year vacation instead. He's kept in shape over that time and, in initial practice on the California Speedway road course earlier this week was quickly on the pace.

i say, does anyone remember who this "formula 1 team" was by any chance?

[Knowlesy]

I think he was linked with the Phoenix team but I doubt you're referring to that.

[ASCII Man]

Old news and indeed about the Phoenix project... (you can't exactly call it a team, eh?)
This has more to do with either CART or the IRL, can't remember which one races at the California Speedway, probably the IRL.

[jhansen]

Dale Coyne Racing is a champcar team. I believe OWRS has been testing at Fontana this past week. I also read an article about Justin Wilson testing there. He is also driving champcars this year.

[Kicking-back]

Tarso Marques is driving in Champ Cars this year.

The quote above is an old one referring to the Phoenix project, but the reference to testing this week is about Coyne team in Champ Car.

[GP Racer]

The title of this thread, really got me excited! Its abit misleading, don't you think?

I thought Lotus, or maybe Lola were making a comeback, or even better, that GM was coming to F1!

Imagine my letdown, when it was only about a Champ Car test...

[Russfeld]

He signed a two year deal with a team that, at the time (and ultimately) didnt exist?


No wonder he's driving for Coyne...

[Nicholas]

I'd all but forgotten about good old Tarso

[Knowlesy]

Unfortunately I had just watched the 2001 F1 season review and had been "reminded" about him.....*shudders*

[DriverT]

1999... might it have been the comeback of the Zakspeed team, who never made it to the grid?

[mountainstar]

Originally posted by DriverT
1999... might it have been the comeback of the Zakspeed team, who never made it to the grid?

No. Zakspeed was linked to a buyout of Arrows. The buyout would have been funded by the government region that Zakspeed resides in in Germany. The gov never coughed up the cash and the deal vanished. It was mostly speculation anyways and I don't think any drivers were linked to it, mostly because they were so far from a deal.

Marques drove for Penske in 1999.

[Skam85]

Marques....2001....Minardi.....funny memories...... indeed old news. Shame about the title, got me excited, although a new team must have to be VERY desperate to have Tarso as a driver. Look at the "talent" out there....JV, JV, Yoongie Boy, HHF, Salo, McNish, Gene, Wilson......

[GTRMagic]

I actually thought the title was describing an 11th team, seeing "marques" as marques or brands, not even thinking about Tarso...

[DriverT]

Originally posted by mountainstar
No. Zakspeed was linked to a buyout of Arrows. The buyout would have been funded by the government region that Zakspeed resides in in Germany. The gov never coughed up the cash and the deal vanished. It was mostly speculation anyways and I don't think any drivers were linked to it, mostly because they were so far from a deal.

Marques drove for Penske in 1999.

Ohhhh thanks for the correction. I remember they said "we have £20m to invest" and wonder if they would have survived today. I sincerely doubt it. They wouldn't have survived in 1999, as £20m isn't enough.

Marques wasn't the best...

[mountainstar]

Originally posted by DriverT
Ohhhh thanks for the correction. I remember they said "we have £20m to invest" and wonder if they would have survived today. I sincerely doubt it. They wouldn't have survived in 1999, as £20m isn't enough.

Marques wasn't the best...

I was tearing up all of my old autosports today and happened to find the original 2 page article on this deal. For histories sake: 30 million pound buyout, mecachrome engines, half of the buyout funded by Rheinland-pfalz region, 1/4 by zakowski himself and the rest from a bank, no mention of marques.

I think many observers thought marques did well when he drove for minardi in 1996. In his case, I don't believe he ever had the stability of staying in one spot for a while to develop his career. He was probably better than the mysterious Esteban Tuero.

[DriverT]

I think he might just have been a little better than Tuero...

[Skam85]

Hey! Tuero was talented compared to Marques!!! Anyone who is 5-6secs off the pace in CART quali has to suck!!