Markko Märtin

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Markko Märtin's career in the World Rally Championship spanned from 2000 to 2005. He first gained attention as the understudy to Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz at the Ford World Rally Team in 2002. That year, he was leading the Acropolis Rally Greece until two punctures dropped him behind McRae. The following year, Märtin won that same event in Greece. In 2004, he won the Acropolis Rally again, and added victories on the tarmac rallies of Corsica and Catalunya. Those wins were part of a successful run for his partnership with co-driver Michael Park, which continued into 2005. For 2005, Märtin moved to former constructors' champion Peugeot, driving the 307 car. He and Park notched up three podium finishes before arriving in Wales for the Wales Rally Great Britain. On the second leg, two kilometres from the start of Stage 15 at Margam Park, Märtin's Peugeot crashed into a tree. Märtin was unhurt, but co-driver Michael Park was immediately killed — the first competitor fatality at WRC level in over a decade. Märtin announced he would pull out of the last four events of the 2005 season. Shaken by Park's death, he effectively left the WRC stage. He went on to manage a junior rallying team in the Estonian rally scene and indicated 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 the series had lost much of its lustre and calling for a far-reaching rules overhaul.

In Their Own Story

In March 2006, Märtin made a limited return to competitive rallying at the Rally of Portugal, an invitational event held as a candidate for full WRC status. He competed in a Subaru Impreza, his first outing in an FIA-spec Group N car in nearly a decade, co-driven by David Senior. He also partook in the 2006 Danish Touring Car Championship with Hans Hartmann's Honda Racing. In 2008, Märtin signed a deal to become the official test driver for the Subaru World Rally Team. He has since test-driven for Ford and Mini. In 2009, Ford hired Märtin as a R&D factory driver, and he helped train WRC rookie Ken Block for the 2010 season. On 7 June 2010, it was announced Märtin would race in Rally Estonia, an IRC candidate event, driving a Ford Focus RS WRC 03, which he called 'the best rally car in the world.' He 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 rents out land and property, most prominently a piece of land to Autospirit, an Estonian car dealership. In 2005 he created MM Motorsport, which won several Estonian Rally Championship titles and rents out numerous Ford Fiesta R5 cars.

Reader's Guide

Peak years: 2002–2005, when Märtin competed in the World Rally Championship with Ford and Peugeot. His most successful season was 2004, when he won three WRC events: the Corona Rally Mexico, Rallye de France (Corsica), and Rally Catalunya. These victories made him the third driver to break the Nordic stranglehold on Rally Finland and the inaugural winner of the Mexico event. Signature car: Ford Focus RS WRC 03, which he called 'the best rally car in the world' when he drove it to win all twelve stages of Rally Estonia in 2010. Co-driver: Michael Park was his co-driver for all his WRC victories. Park was killed in the crash at the 2005 Wales Rally Great Britain. Post-WRC career: Märtin became the official test driver for Subaru World Rally Team in 2008, later test-drove for Ford and Mini, worked as a Ford R&D factory driver training Ken Block, and created MM Motorsport in 2005, which won several Estonian Rally Championship titles.

Did You Know?

• Märtin was leading the 2002 Acropolis Rally Greece until he suffered two punctures and fell behind team-mate Colin McRae.
• His best result at the Neste Rally Finland was 3rd place in 2004.
• The inaugural Corona Rally Mexico in 2004 was won by Carlos Sainz, not Märtin.
• Co-driver Michael Park was immediately killed when Märtin's Peugeot crashed into a tree at the 2005 Wales Rally Great Britain — the first competitor fatality at WRC level in over a decade.
• Märtin won all twelve stages of the 2010 Rally Estonia, with second-place Ott Tänak losing 2.50,3.