Former F1 driver 'feared he would die' from COVID

Former Minardi Formula 1 driver Tarso Marques has been talking about his close encounter with the COVID-19 virus which left him fearing he would die from the disease.

“I thought it was all right," the Brazilian told Portuguese celebrity and women's weekly magazine Caras this week. "I was always very healthy, I had good nutrition, I did physical activity.

“I thought that nothing would happen to me - what I really cared about was my parents,' he added. But then he returned a positive test for coronavirus, and within hours he was already starting to suffer acute symptoms.

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“Two hours after this new diagnosis, I was already short of breath. Another hour and I couldn't breathe anymore," he revealed. "[Even now] I still only have 30 per cent of my lung capacity.

“The first three, four days in the hospital were like terror. You are practically dead there. It destroys you.

"I got so much medicine – every three hours a tray with an injection [of anti-inflammatory] corticosteroids. I spent nine days without sleep, I used oxygen at the limit.

"One thing happened after another: stomach pain, then an allergy out of nowhere in my legs. I am still full of spots, I was sobbing for two whole days, I had a hellish headache. The virus was attacking everywhere.

"It doesn't give up. I thought I was going to die. I even made a will. I stayed like that for two more days. When I started to get better, during the night I was afraid that improvement was a false alarm.”

Although he's still suffering from the after effects of COVID, Marques is expected to make a full recovery in due course.

Three current F1 drivers - Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll and Lewis Hamilton - tested positive for coronavirus during the 2020 season, while others including Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris fell ill over the winter off season.

Now 45, Marques made his way into F1 after a successful 1995 season in European Formula 3000, in which he became the youngest driver at the time to win a race.

He made his F1 debut with Minardi in the 1996 Brazilian Grand Prix alongside Pedro Lamy, and also took part in the following event in Argentina.

Marques returned to the seat on a full-time basis from the middle of the following year only to be dropped at the end of the season. He subsequently returned to the squad in 2001 and ultimately took part in a total of 24 races for the team before his final appearance in Belgium.

However he suffered 14 retirements, and additionally failed to qualify within 107 per cent of the pole time for the 2001 British Grand Prix meaning he was unable to start the race. His team mate Fernando Alonso just managed to successfully make the cut on that occasion.

Marques went on to compete in the US Champ Car series with Team Penske and Dale Coyne Racing where his best result was seventh place at the Auto Club Speedway, Fontana in 2000.

Following his final outing in 2005, Marques returned to South America to drive in the TC2000 and Stock Car Brasil touring car championships, and now runs a vehicle customisation company

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