Former Formula 1 driver Tarso Marques arrested for luxury car theft in SP

Former Formula 1 driver Tarso Marques, 49, was arrested in the early hours of Sunday, October 31, after driving a Lamborghini Gallardo without plates. The police stopped him on the Cidade Jardim Bridge in the western zone of São Paulo. Marques was released on bail after paying a bail of R$ 22,000 during a custody hearing. The Estadão newspaper is trying to contact Marques’ defense team but has not received a response yet. During Operation Direção, the police stopped the Lamborghini Gallardo, which was driving without plates.

According to the police report obtained by Estadão, Marques was arrested in flagrante delicto ‘for the crimes of receiving stolen property and altering the identification signal of a motor vehicle.’ The police stated that the vehicle had reports of misappropriation, legal restrictions, and overdue licensing since 2013, as well as approximately R$ 1.3 million in IPVA debts and fines. The value of such a vehicle model exceeds R$ 1 million. The car was registered under a company convicted of illegal practices, including a pyramid scheme. Before being stopped, Marques attempted to reattach the plates upon noticing the inspection.

He was taken to the 14th Police Station (Pinheiros), where the on-duty detective officially arrested him for receiving stolen property and altering the vehicle’s identification signal. Tarso Marques has previously been a pilot in F1 and NASCAR.