Markko Märtin


Markko Märtin is a retired rally driver from Estonia, who competed in the World Rally Championship from 2000 until 2005.

Career

Märtin, as understudy to then-team mates Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz, rose 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 Nordic 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. 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, 18 September 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 crash, 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.
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. He has since test-driven for Ford and Mini.

Life after WRC

In 2009, Märtin was hired by Ford to work as a R&D factory driver. He helped to train WRC rookie Ken Block for the 2010 WRC season. On 7 June 2010, it was announced that Märtin would race in Rally Estonia, which took place on 16–18 July 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."
Märtin won all twelve stages, second place, Ott Tänak lost 2.50,3.
Together with his father, Märtin runs a haulage company in Estonia. He also bought a car dealership in 2005 and has started selling Subarus. On the same year he also created MM Motorsport, which won several Estonian Rally Championship titles. The team also has numerous Ford Fiesta R5 for rent.

Personal life

Märtin lives in Monaco with Miss Model Estonia 2004 Mari-Liis Sallo and they welcomed their first child together in summer 2007.
Märtin also appeared in the 2019 documentary film as one of the interviewees.

Complete World Rally Championship results

YearEntrantChassis12345678910111213141516WDCPoints
1997Markko MärtinToyota Celica GT-Four ST185MON
SWE
KEN
POR
ESP
FRA
ARG
GRC
NZL
FIN
Ret
IDN
ITA
AUS
GBR
NC0
1998Markko MärtinToyota Celica GT-Four ST205MON
SWE
KEN
POR
Ret
ESP
FRA
ARG
GRC
NZL
FIN
12
ITA
9
AUS
GBR
Ret
NC0
1999Markko MärtinFord Escort WRCMON
SWE
8
KEN
POR
Ret
18th2
1999Markko MärtinToyota Corolla WRC AE111ESP
FRA
ARG
GRC
5
NZL
FIN
Ret
CHN
ITA
Ret
AUS
GBR
8
18th2
2000Lukoil EOS Rally TeamToyota Corolla WRC AE111MON
SWE
9
KEN
POR
7
ESP
10
ARG
GRC
Ret
NZL
FIN
10
CYP
6
FRA
ITA
Ret
GBR
7
21st1
2000Subaru World Rally TeamSubaru Impreza WRC2000AUS
Ret
21st1
2001Subaru World Rally TeamSubaru Impreza WRC2001MON
Ret
SWE
12
POR
Ret
ESP
Ret
ARG
CYP
GRC
Ret
KEN
FIN
5
NZL
ITA
Ret
FRA
6
AUS
GBR
Ret
19th3
2002Ford Motor CoFord Focus RS WRC 02MON
12
SWE
DNS
FRA
8
ESP
8
CYP
8
ARG
4
GRC
6
KEN
4
FIN
5
GER
6
ITA
5
NZL
Ret
AUS
5
GBR
2
9th20
2003Ford Motor CoFord Focus RS WRC 02MON
4
SWE
4
TUR
6
5th49
2003Ford Motor CoFord Focus RS WRC 03NZL
Ret
ARG
Ret
GRC
1
CYP
Ret
GER
5
FIN
1
AUS
DSQ
ITA
3
FRA
Ret
ESP
3
GBR
Ret
5th49
2004Ford Motor CoFord Focus RS WRC 03MON
2
SWE
7
MEX
1
3rd79
2004Ford Motor CoFord Focus RS WRC 04NZL
3
CYP
2
GRC
Ret
TUR
24
ARG
Ret
FIN
2
GER
4
JPN
3
GBR
3
ITA
Ret
FRA
1
ESP
1
AUS
Ret
3rd79
2005PeugeotPeugeot 307 WRCMON
4
SWE
2
MEX
3
NZL
5
ITA
4
CYP
3
TUR
5
GRC
8
ARG
6
FIN
3
GER
4
GBR
Ret
JPNFRAESPAUS5th53

WRC victories