Marco Campos

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Marco Campos (born 24 February 1976 in Curitiba, Brazil - died 15 October 1995 in Paris, France) was a Brazilian racing driver, who died in an accident in a Formula 3000 race in the Magny-Cours circuit.

Campos was a successful kart driver, winning the Panamerican championiship in 1992 and 1993. In 1993 he also won the South American karting championship. Then in 1994 he went to drive in the European Formula Opel championship, winning the title in his first year for the Draco Junior Team.

His personal friend Mario-Alberto Bauér negotiated a deal for Marco to race for the WTS F3 Team of Michael Schumacher's personal manager Willi Weber as a team mate to Ralf Schumacher. But a Brazilian sponsor lured Marco into staying with the Draco as the team jumped a step up to the International Formula 3000 championship in 1995.

On bord of the newcomer's Lola-Cosworth results were hard to come by in his rookie season and Marco's only points-finish was a fourth place in Enna.

[edit] Death

Campos was killed in an accident at the season-ending race in Magny Cours. On the last lap of the season finale, on the straightaway before the Adelaide hairpin, he collided with the back of Thomas Biagi's car while racing, and was launched into the air and out of control due to tyre-on-tyre contact. His car flipped over, and Campos' head struck a barrier whilst flying upside-down. The accident resulted in skull fractures, cerebral trauma and put him into a deep coma. Campos died the following day at the Lariboisiére Hospital in Paris, France.

Marco Campos was 13th in the final Drivers' Championship standings of his one and only F3000 season.

[edit] Other

His brother, Julio, went through karting and formula championships, winning the Skip Barber championship in 2001 in the USA and now competes in Brazil's Stock Car Brasil Championship.