Markko Martin to race in Danish Touring Car

[Yeo]

Markko Martin, one of the top World Rally Championship contenders, suffered a great personal loss during the 2005 season. During the Rally of Great Britain, the Estonian lost his close friend and co-driver Michael Park on the final day of competition.

Driving for Peugeot Sport, Martin and Park were chasing the fifth overall slot when the accident tragically ended their race on the 27-km-long SS17.

Park, 39, from England, had hooked up with Martin in 2000, the pair campaigned a privateer Toyota Corolla. They stayed together for a season at Subaru and then three years at Ford, prior to moving to Peugeot for 2005.

It is hard on any racer to lose a friend, but harder when one is really part of two. They were more than driver/navigator, they were close friends as Park himself said, "Markko masters the subtleties of the English language perfectly. He even gets my jokes!"

Martin and Park were a dynamic duo, their first win together came in 2003 at Rally Finland. Since then, the two notched four more WRC career wins.

It was expected that if Martin decided to return to racing, it would not be back in the WRC competition. He needed to start afresh. And the Estonian has made his decision -- the Danish Touring Car Championship.

Joining top racers in the hotly-contested touring series, Martin will drive for Hartmann Honda Racing, piloting a JAS-made Honda Accord Euro R FIA Super 2000. One of his competitors will be his friend Henrik Lundgaard, who has navigated for the Estonian on several gravel events. The Dane was a former WRC competitor before moving to touring cars.

"I have no doubt, Markko will do excellent", Lundgaard states firmly. He himself knowing what it takes to make the switch from attacking rallystages and then in closely matched touring cars, where a lot of bumping around is the norm.

"If Markko feels well in the team and is motivated he will be a top contender, no doubt," the Danish racer continued "This man (Martin) is a fantastic driver, no matter what on wheels you put him in".

Driving for Team Den Bl� Avis last year, Lundgaard finished fourth in the standings. This season, he and his teammate, the 2003 DTC champion Jan Magnussen, will drive new BMW E90s.will team with th last year.

DTC is a series where no one gives an inch on-track as they bang fenders, shut doors firmly as they chase for the top spot. Martin will be racing against not only his friend Lundgaard and Magnussen, but also Casper Elgaard (2004, '05 champion), Jason Watt (2002 champion), Jens Edman and John Nielsen.

"Everybody on the track are hard opponents, but as the same time good friends," Lundgaard said. "The spirit and atmosphere of the whole paddock, I am sure was what attracted Markko, when he visited a round of DTC last year".

Martin first tasted the Danish series as a visitor at Jyllandsringen last year and now joins the Hartmann team with Martin Jensen as his teammate in the second car.

Hans Hartmann will take a sabbatical this year as the team owner stated: "When I had ordered a new car, but did not have a confirmed driver," "eventually we struck a deal with a Jensen, but after that Markko was still very keen on driving.

"We got in touch with the car supplier, JAS Motorsport, but it was a problem getting a third car ready in time," added Hartmann. "Instead I have decided to take 2006 as a sabbatical from the DTC series and put Markko into the seat instead!"

Martin will have a learning curve, but one the Estonian looks forward to undertake. With ten rounds on the 2006 calendar with events both in Denmark and Sweden, it will be interesting to see how he fares in his new adventure.

"He has not the greatest expectations for his first season, but as I know him, he will be showing us some great races," commented Lundgaard. "It will be very exciting to see, and for the series it is a great scoop to have him among us".

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=211473
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[Plex]

great infor Yeo....