Markko Märtin
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| Markko Märtin | |
|---|---|
 Markko Märtin in 2006. |
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| World Rally Championship record | |
| Nationality |  Estonian |
| Active years | 1997 - 2005 |
| Teams | Subaru, Ford, Peugeot |
| World rallies | 84 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 5 |
| Podium finishes | 18 |
| Stage wins | 101 |
| Points | 207 |
| First world rally | 1997 Neste Rally Finland |
| First win | 2003 Acropolis Rally |
| Last win | 2004 Rally Catalunya |
| Last world rally | 2005 Rally Great Britain |
| edit | |
Markko Märtin (born November 10, 1975 in Tartu) is a rally car driver from Estonia, who competed in the World Rally Championship from 2000 until 2005.
Märtin, as understudy to then-team mates Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz, shot to prominence with Ford in 2002. He was on target to notch up victory on that year's Acropolis Rally Greece, his career first, until suffering two punctures and instead being forced to concede to the more experienced McRae. Nonetheless, Märtin still impressed during his time as pilot of the Ford Focus WRC. He won the equivalent event in Greece the following year as well as being only the third driver in the history of the WRC to break the Scandinavian stranglehold on the Neste Rally Finland. In addition to this, Märtin was inaugural winner, again with Ford, of the Corona Rally Mexico in 2004. He also won the Tarmac rallies of Corsica and Catalunya in the same year. These victories happened to be the last for the Märtin/Park partnership.
For 2005 Märtin departed the team for former constructors' champions Peugeot and their 307 car. Sadly, in comparison to the heights of previous seasons, initial promise was to give way to grief. Although 2005 was by no means an exemplary season by Märtin's standards, he and co-pilot Michael Park had still notched up four podiums for their new employers by the time they had arrived in Wales to contest the Wales Rally Great Britain.
However, on Sunday, September 18, 2005, the final leg of the event, two kilometres from the start of Stage 15 at Margam Park, Märtin's Peugeot crashed heavily into a tree. Although the Estonian driver was left unhurt by the shunt, co-driver Park was immediately killed in the accident, the first fatality for a competitor at WRC-level for over a decade. As a result, Märtin announced that he would pull out of the last four events of the 2005 season.
Understandably shaken by the passing of Park, Märtin effectively left the WRC stage. He went on to manage a junior rallying team in the Estonian rally scene, indicating that he would likely refuse any offers to drive at the top level again. He has since spoken out against the FIA’s treatment of the WRC, claiming that the series had lost much of its luster and calling for a far-reaching rules overhaul [1].
However, Märtin made a limited return to competitive rallying in March 2006 at the 2006 Rally of Portugal. The invitational event was held as a candidate for full WRC status. Markko competed in a Subaru Impreza, his first outing in an FIA-spec Group N car in nearly a decade. He was co-driven by David Senior, who formerly worked with Alister McRae.
On 9 March 2006 it was announced that Märtin would participate in Danish Touring Car Championship. It is planned that he will join with Hans Hartmann's Honda Racing. Morten Alstrup, the press chief of DTC, said that Märtin will take part of whole season, comprised of nine events from 30 April 2006 to 15 October 2006.
[edit] WRC career results
- 1997 - NC - 0 points - Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
- 1999 - 18th - 2 points - best finish 5th - Ford Escort WRC, Toyota Corolla WRC
- 2000 - 21st - 1 point - best finish 6th - Toyota Corolla WRC, Subaru Impreza WRC
- 2001 - 19th - 3 points - best finish 5th - Subaru Impreza WRC
- 2002 - 9th - 20 points - best finish 2nd - Ford Focus WRC 02
- 2003 - 5th - 49 points - 2 race wins - Ford Focus WRC 03
- 2004 - 3rd - 79 points - 3 race wins - Ford Focus WRC 04
- 2005 - 5th - 53 points - best finish 2nd - Peugeot 307 WRC (season unfinished)
