Markko Märtin

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Markko Märtin

Markko Märtin in 2006.
Personal information
Nationality Estonia Estonian
Born (1975-11-10) November 10, 1975
Tartu, Estonia
World Rally Championship record
Active years 1997–2005
Teams Lukoil EOS Rally Team, Subaru World Rally Team, Ford, Peugeot
Rallies 86
Championships 0
Rally wins 5
Podiums 18
Stage wins 101
Total points 207
First rally 1997 Neste Rally Finland
First win 2003 Acropolis Rally
Last win 2004 Rally Catalunya
Last rally 2005 Rally Great Britain

Markko Märtin (born November 10, 1975 in Tartu) is a rally driver from Estonia, who competed in the World Rally Championship from 2000 until 2005.

Career

Märtin with a Ford Focus RS WRC 04 at the 2004 Cyprus Rally.
Märtin with a Peugeot 307 WRC at the 2005 Cyprus Rally.

Märtin, as understudy to then-team mates Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz, shot to prominence with the Ford World Rally Team in the 2002 season. He was on target to notch up a 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 RS 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 the 2004 season. He also won the tarmac rallies of Corsica and Catalunya in the same year. These victories happened to be the last for the Märtin/Michael Park partnership.

For 2005 Märtin departed the team for former constructors' champion Peugeot and its 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-driver Park had still notched up four podium finishes 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 Michael 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 death 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 lustre 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. Märtin 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. Märtin also partook in the 2006 Danish Touring Car Championship with Hans Hartmann's Honda Racing.

Märtin signed a deal to become the official test driver for the Subaru World Rally Team in 2008.[2] He has since test-driven for Ford and Mini.

Life after WRC

In 2009 Markko was hired by Ford to work as a R&D factory driver.[3] He helped to train WRC rookie Ken Block for the 2010 WRC season.[4] On 7 June 2010, it was announced that Markko Märtin would race in Rally Estonia, which took place on July 16–18, 2010 and which was also an IRC candidate event. Märtin drove a Ford Focus RS WRC 03, which he referred to as "the best rally car in the world."[5] Märtin won all 12 stages, second place, Ott Tänak lost 2.50,3.[6]

Together with his father Markko runs a haulage company in Estonia. He also bought a car dealership in 2005 and has started selling Subarus.

Personal life

Markko lives in Monaco with Miss Model Estonia 2004 Mari-Liis Sallo and they welcomed their first child together in summer 2007.[7]

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 rally wins – Ford Focus WRC 03
  • 2004 – 3rd – 79 points – 3 rally wins – Ford Focus WRC 04
  • 2005 – 5th – 53 points – best finish 2nd – Peugeot 307 WRC (season unfinished)

Complete World Rally Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Points
1997 Markko Märtin Toyota Celica GT-Four ST185 MON
 SWE
 KEN
 POR
 ESP
 FRA
 ARG
 GRC
 NZL
 FIN
Ret		 IDN
 ITA
 AUS
 GBR
 NC 0
1998 Markko Märtin Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205 MON
 SWE
 KEN
 POR
Ret		 ESP
 FRA
 ARG
 GRC
 NZL
 FIN
12		 ITA
9		 AUS
 GBR
Ret		 ' 0
1999 Markko Märtin Ford Escort WRC MON
 SWE
8		 KEN
 POR
Ret		 18th 2
Toyota Corolla WRC AE111 ESP
 FRA
 ARG
 GRC
5		 NZL
 FIN
Ret		 CHN
 ITA
Ret		 AUS
 GBR
8
2000 Lukoil EOS Rally Team Toyota Corolla WRC AE111 MON
 SWE
9		 KEN
 POR
7		 ESP
10		 ARG
 GRC
Ret		 NZL
 FIN
10		 CYP
6		 FRA
 ITA
Ret		 GBR
7		 21st 1
Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza WRC2000 AUS
Ret
2001 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza WRC2001 MON
Ret		 SWE
12		 POR
Ret		 ESP
Ret		 ARG
 CYP
 GRC
Ret		 KEN
 FIN
5		 NZL
 ITA
Ret		 FRA
6		 AUS
 GBR
Ret		 19th 3
2002 Ford Motor Co Ford Focus RS WRC 02 MON
12		 SWE
 FRA
8		 ESP
8		 CYP
8		 ARG
4		 GRC
6		 KEN
4		 FIN
5		 GER
6		 ITA
5		 NZL
Ret		 AUS
5		 GBR
2		 9th 20
2003 Ford Motor Co Ford Focus RS WRC 02 MON
4		 SWE
4		 TUR
6		 5th 49
Ford Focus RS WRC 03 NZL
Ret		 ARG
Ret		 GRC
1		 CYP
Ret		 GER
5		 FIN
1		 AUS
DSQ		 ITA
3		 FRA
Ret		 ESP
3		 GBR
Ret
2004 Ford Motor Co Ford Focus RS WRC 03 MON
2		 SWE
7		 MEX
1		 3rd 79
Ford Focus RS WRC 04 NZL
3		 CYP
2		 GRC
Ret		 TUR
24		 ARG
Ret		 FIN
2		 GER
4		 JAP
3		 GBR
3		 ITA
Ret		 FRA
1		 ESP
1		 AUS
Ret
2005 Peugeot Peugeot 307 WRC MON
4		 SWE
2		 MEX
3		 NZL
5		 ITA
4		 CYP
3		 TUR
5		 GRC
8		 ARG
6		 FIN
3		 GER
4		 GBR
Ret		 JAP FRA ESP AUS 5th 53

WRC victories

Number Event Season Co-driver Car
1 Greece 50 th BP Ultimate Acropolis Rally of Greece 2003 Michael Park Ford Focus RS WRC 03
2 Finland 53rd Neste Rally Finland
3 Mexico 18º Corona Rally México 2004
4 France 48ème Tour de Corse – Rallye de France Ford Focus RS WRC 04
5 Spain 40º Rallye Catalunya-Costa Brava (Rallye de España)

References

  1. ↑ BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Rallying | Angry Martin wants rally overhaul
  2. ↑ WRC: Official: Martin inks deal with Subaru., motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates
  3. ↑ http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=4840&desc=Markko%20Martin%20returns%20to%20Ford%20to%20help%20with%20testing
  4. ↑ http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=7879&desc=Block%20gains%20a%20new%20co-driver%20for%20Portugal%20test
  5. ↑ http://www.rallybuzz.com/markkomartin-rallyestonia/
  6. ↑ http://www.rallyestonia.com/rally/markko-martin-ja-kristo-kraag-voitsid-mad-croc-rally-estonia/
  7. ↑ Kroonika | Markko Märtin saab isaks

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