Marques Joins Phoenix Team, Says Father

Tarso Marques will drive alongside Argentinean Gaston Mazzacane at the new Phoenix Formula One team, according to the Brazilian driver's father Paulo de Tarso.

The new team have arrived in Kuala Lumpur today, and amid the confusion generated they are hoping to take part at next weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix with two AP04 chassis for the Prost team, whose assets were purchased by British businessman Charles Nickerson.

Mazzacane already claimed earlier this week that he had signed a contract with the team for this season, and he will be in Malaysia this weekend to compete alongside Marques, who drove for the Minardi squad last year before being replaced by Malaysian Alex Yoong.

"Apparently Tarso will race in Malaysia, or try to, because it's all a bit improvised," de Tarso said in an interview with Grande Premio. "But I believe it's a good chance for him to get back into F1. They called us last week to ask about Tarso's availability to join the team.

"This is because he had already worked with Arrows in the development of the Bridgestone tyres. They knew his work and thought he would be a capable driver to help them get on the grid. We talked about some details and they finally confirmed it yesterday and asked him to travel immediately to Malaysia, because the cars were already on their way."

According to de Tarso, the Phoenix cars will be powered by the same three-year old Cosworth engines used by Minardi last season, before switching to the same units used by the Arrows engine, who are linked to them after Arrows boss Tom Walkinshaw announced his TWR company would provide engineering support to the team.

"The team say they are sure they will race," de Tarso added. "At least they want to be there to compete. They are 100 per cent sure that they will take part (in the Grand Prix), but in F1 you never know. You can't be 100 per cent sure.

"The car will be last year's Prost AP04, but without the Ferrari engine. They will use Ford engines, like those used by Minardi last season. But they promised that perhaps in Brazil they will have a new engine, the same used by Arrows. As for the tyres, we are 90 per cent sure they will be Bridgestone."

Despite de Tarso's assurance, Japanese tyre manufacturers Bridgestone already said on Tuesday that they had no plans to supply their rubber to the new team.