- Markko Märtin
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Markko Märtin
Markko Märtin in 2006.Personal information Nationality Estonian
Born November 10, 1975
Tartu, EstoniaWorld 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.
Contents
Career
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 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 a IRC candidate event. Märtin drove a Ford Focus 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[when?] 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
RetIDN ITA AUS GBR NC 0 1998 Markko Märtin Toyota Celica GT-Four (ST205) MON SWE KEN POR
RetESP FRA ARG GRC NZL FIN
12ITA
9AUS GBR
Ret' 0 1999 Markko Märtin Ford Escort WRC MON SWE
8KEN POR
Ret18th 2 Toyota Corolla WRC AE111 ESP FRA ARG GRC
5NZL FIN
RetCHN ITA
RetAUS GBR
82000 Lukoil EOS Rally Team Toyota Corolla WRC AE111 MON SWE
9KEN POR
7ESP
10ARG GRC
RetNZL FIN
10CYP
6FRA ITA
RetGBR
721st 1 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza WRC 22B AUS
Ret2001 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza WRC2001 MON
RetSWE
12POR
RetESP
RetARG CYP GRC
RetKEN FIN
5NZL ITA
RetFRA
6AUS GBR
Ret19th 3 2002 Ford Motor Co Ford Focus RS WRC 02 MON
12SWE FRA
8ESP
8CYP
8ARG
4GRC
6KEN
4FIN
5GER
6ITA
5NZL
RetAUS
5GBR
29th 20 2003 Ford Motor Co Ford Focus RS WRC 02 MON
4SWE
4TUR
65th 49 Ford Focus RS WRC 03 NZL
RetARG
RetGRC
1CYP
RetGER
5FIN
1AUS
DSQITA
3FRA
RetESP
3GBR
Ret2004 Ford Motor Co Ford Focus RS WRC 04 MON
2SWE
7MEX
1NZL
3CYP
2GRC
RetTUR
RetARG
RetFIN
2GER
4JAP
3GBR
3ITA
RetFRA
1ESP
1AUS
Ret3rd 79 2005 Peugeot Peugeot 307 MON
4SWE
2MEX
3NZL
5ITA
4CYP
3TUR
5GRC
8ARG
6FIN
3GER
4GBR
RetJAP FRA ESP AUS 5th 53 WRC victories
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Number Event Season Co-driver Car 1 50 th BP Ultimate Acropolis Rally of Greece
2003 Michael Park Ford Focus RS 2 53rd Neste Rally Finland
2003 Michael Park Ford Focus RS 3 18º Corona Rally México
2004 Michael Park Ford Focus RS 4 48ème Tour de Corse – Rallye de France
2004 Michael Park Ford Focus RS 5 40º Rallye Catalunya-Costa Brava (Rallye de España)
2004 Michael Park Ford Focus RS
References
- ^ BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Rallying | Angry Martin wants rally overhaul
- ^ WRC: Official: Martin inks deal with Subaru., motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates
- ^ http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=4840&desc=Markko%20Martin%20returns%20to%20Ford%20to%20help%20with%20testing
- ^ http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=7879&desc=Block%20gains%20a%20new%20co-driver%20for%20Portugal%20test
- ^ http://www.rallybuzz.com/markkomartin-rallyestonia/
- ^ http://www.rallyestonia.com/rally/markko-martin-ja-kristo-kraag-voitsid-mad-croc-rally-estonia/
- ^ Kroonika | Markko Märtin saab isaks
External links
Categories:- 1975 births
- Living people
- People from Tartu
- Estonian rally drivers
- Danish Touring Car Championship drivers
- World Rally Championship drivers
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