Marques Out - Mazzacane In - (Merged)

[Muzza]

Fellows,

Several sources in Brazil are confirming that Tarso Marques is no longer a Dale Coyne Racing driver. Marques himself had stated a few days ago that "the situation at Dale Coyne is unbearable, unfortunately. The guys at the team are cool, but the team's structure is not compatible with CART" [sic].

A friend of mine who talked with him before the Monterey race told me that Tarso actually wanted to quit the team then, but Dale asked him to stay put for a few more days, and he did that. His rather bizarre retirement in that race has no relation with his decision to leave the team.

Marques is looking at several options; he is said that he is talking to "other Champ Car teams". Personally I think he will go back to Stock Cars in Brazil, where is younger brother Thiago races (Tarso was due to compete the whole Brazilian Stock Car Championship this year until a last minute deal to race with DCR in Champ Cars).

He might, for example, take the place of Ricardo MaurÃ*cio (an outstanding driver) at Katalogo Racing - this if that team decides to take motorsports more seriously. MaurÃ*cio left Katalogo calling the contract the team wanted him to sign an "absurd" (in fact, its clauses are laughable - in case of accident, the driver was to pay for the repairs!) and quit the team over the weekend.

Off topic: Rafael Sperafico is another driver who is Brazilian Stock Car-bound, racing for team PowerTech (source: Speed Online, http://www.speedonline.com.br).

Cheers,

Muzza

P.S.: I just noticed that Flavinha's website, Super Licença (http://www.superlicenca.com.br) has a rather extensive article on Marques quitting Dale Coyne Racing.

P.P.S.: My apologies for not posting here last weeks. My working schedule and my own racing history website (you know where to find it...) are driving me nuts.

[macdaddy]

Good to "hear" your voice again!
Thanks for the info...
Anybody got any ideas on who's gonna replace him?
(Or is that a silly question?)

The team's structure is not compatible with CART.

???

[Kicking-back]

Basically, Tarso doesn't think they're up to the job.

However, with rumours of Mazzacane testing for Coyne, I think it's just Marques putting a brave face on being replaced by a driver with less talent and more money.

[Tailwind]

Well now the Mezzacane thing makes a whole lot more sense. Does Mezzacane bring a sponser with him?

[Snrub]

Seems like a strange situation, esspecially if he's not complaining about the people on the team, just the team's approach to CART. Servia seemed reasonably competitive in Monterrey, one would think if that is the case that a driver would not have a huge problem with their team.

Maybe this has to do with the recent announcment that a former F1 driver would be joining CART, Mazzacane would make sense.

[Kicking-back]

Pity Mazzacane isn't fit to tie Tarso's bootlaces....

[Jordi]

Shame that Marques is leaving, he is a better driver than his stats show.

[Dov]

Originally posted by Snrub
Maybe this has to do with the recent announcment that a former F1 driver would be joining CART, Mazzacane would make sense.

That came from Gordon Kirby's latest article were KK & GF are talking about CC's present and future plans. They said that a talented European driver who used to be in F1 could join the CCWS for part of this season or a full campaign next year. I don't no about you guys but IMHO Mazzacane is NOT what I would consider to be a talented driver!

It's a shame that Tarso decided to leave......I thought that DCR were making some real strides this season!! I wonder if Dale or OWRS will be able to find another driver in time for the race in Milwaukee!? LOL Michael Valiante is available.

[BizTeacher]

Mazzacane - an Argentinian. Call me a geography buff, but when is Argentina part of Europe (unless he lived on the Falklands). maybe it's Firman (he's English, was rumoured to be with DCR a while back, has had one year of F1 experience and I believe is out of a drive). Maybe its Mansell - he never oficially retired

[Dov]

My mistake, you are correct. I thought Gaston was from Spain, but I must be getting him mixed up with some other ex-Minardi driver.

[racinthestreets]

Good to hear from you again Muzza. It is not strange that 2 races into the season the rent a car drivers are playing musical seats.

[mountainstar]

It could be anybody. There are plenty of former F1 drivers on the market

[JohnSSC]

Nice to see you on the boards again, Muzza.

This is, I fear life at DCR. Results are not what counts but the driver's personal budget. Perhaps this is what he implied when referring to the team being compatible with CART's (OWRS?) goals.

I too was encouraged at the results Servia/Marques had achieved and am sorry to see him go.

[Snrub]

I didn't realize the quote was "european F1 driver". I don't understand why Valiante and/or Fogerty weren't given the Coyne ride in the first place.

[BizTeacher]

looks as though mazzacane will be driving for DCR - apparently, accoridng to SPEED's website, he impressed them at a test. looking at his test times from Road America, he's quite off the pace. hopefully, he can impress and draw ratings from Argentina. Let's remain positive.

[mountainstar]

I think Marques' departure probably has more to do with opportunities in brasilian stock cars than anything else.

[BootsOntheSide]

Maybe Mountainstar - you clearly can't win ChampCar races for Coyne no matter how good you are, and he might be able to a frontrunning Stock Car team.

Neither Marques nor Mazzacane are terribly good, but Gaston isn't vastly inferior - and could certainly outrace Camathias or Boss.

[Ac.]

Servia put up the 6th best time this week in testing at Road America, so give the Coyne team a break there Boots.

It is too bad to see Marques leave. I hope Coyne solidifies a driver for the rest of the year for the sake of his sponsor AMR.

[f1manoz]

Bummer. Marques is a good pedaller despite what his results show, so it's a shame he's had to leave for a rent-a-driver, but we're used to that with Coyne.

But hopefully Servia will be kept as the one decent driver in the team and the other seat will only be the revolving door.

[Hazard]

Sad to hear it.

Has Marques ever completed a full season in anything?

[Kicking-back]

F3000 in 1995 was his last full season

[mountainstar]

When he drove for Minardi in 1996 and 1997, I think he did okay considering the circumstances. For whatever reason he never really got any traction going in his F1 and CART career, so I imagine he's probably sick of the whole thing and would rather go home to brasil.

[BootsOntheSide]

Originally posted by Ac.
Servia put up the 6th best time this week in testing at Road America, so give the Coyne team a break there Boots.

In fairness, Road America's a very demanding course, and a lot of the field still had to learn it. The only people he has looked like beating in the races have been the pay-driving rookies, and Servia's a fairly good driver compared to the rest of the field.

[JohnSSC]

Mazzacane's best time was 4 seconds slower than Servia's at the RA test. Tarso would have been a bit more competitive imho but $$$$ rule, I suppose.

[Dov]

Tarso would have been faster but he's had more seat time in a CC! I don't rate Mazzacane as highly as Marques but let's give him some time to get used to the car before we jump all over him..