Another piece in the driver puzzle??

SJ Spode · 22 Oct 2001, 12:39 (Ref:163885)

Autosport.com are saying today that Subaru driver Markko Martin is extremely likely to be confirmed as a Ford driver for 2002 within the next few days, according to well-placed sources.

"Apparently Martin will take the place of Francois Delecour, who is likely to find a berth at either Mitsubishi (the current favourite) or Hyundai. The deal would also be attractive to Ford, which has been searching for a 'young star' since Subaru scooped Petter Solberg just over a year ago."

In adddition to Subaru and Ford, it is believed that Mitsubishi, Hyundai and Skoda have all tried to secure Martin's services for 2002.

domaza · 22 Oct 2001, 14:38 (Ref:163929)

Yes! This is good news. Ford is my favorite team in WRC and Sainz is mine favorite driver after Markko Märtin. Move to Ford and to be able to race all races is good and besides Focus is best WRC car from my opinion. I wish all the best to Markko!

* Not to mention... I'm Estonian

MichaelC · 22 Oct 2001, 16:12 (Ref:163986)

Ah, so it's a bit of Ford retaliation. Subaru nicked their young charger Solberg, so FMC is in turn stealing Marko.
Still, if it gets him a full season's racing...

Marcel ten Caat · 22 Oct 2001, 17:49 (Ref:164036)

Copied from BBC Ceefax:

Delecour to leave Ford

French driver Francois Delecour will leave Ford at the end of the season, L'Equipe newspaper has reported.

"I will not be at Ford next year. That's all that I can announce at the moment," he told the sports daily.

L'Equipe said financial reasons lay behind the split, with the Frenchman now linked to Mitsubishi and Hyundai.
The 39-year-old, who joined Ford from Peugeot at the start of the year, is expected to be replaced by Estonian Markko Martin, currently of Subaru

AndyF · 22 Oct 2001, 18:23 (Ref:164054)

Sixth in Corsica was an impressive result - hoepfully he can keep it up next year at Ford.

domaza · 22 Oct 2001, 18:43 (Ref:164062)

Quote:

Originally posted by AndyF
Sixth in Corsica was an impressive result - hoepfully he can keep it up next year at Ford.

I bet he will if Ford gives him good and reliable car. Subaru gave Markko some 2nd hand equipment in the beginning of the season and that's because those DNFs are there...

Speedworx · 22 Oct 2001, 21:21 (Ref:164132)

I like Markko Martin and Subaru have messed him around like they did to Bruno Thiry.

Ford is the best place for him. I hope Delecours does not come to Mitsubishi, I want Loix and A.McRae in the team.

Laagri · 23 Oct 2001, 12:14 (Ref:164390)

That's great news! And nothing more than he deserves. I wish him all the best. I just hope his English has improved a bit since the days when I used to be his teacher.

(Domaza, nice to see you around again! You don't seem to pop into the CART forum very much these days.)

domaza · 23 Oct 2001, 12:55 (Ref:164425)

Quote:

Originally posted by Laagri
That's great news! And nothing more than he deserves. I wish him all the best. I just hope his English has improved a bit since the days when I used to be his teacher.

(Domaza, nice to see you around again! You don't seem to pop into the CART forum very much these days.)

Looks like you was a good teacher, because his English is really good and now he likes to talk... I remember the days he answered to the questions with one or two words, but now he really speaks

(About those CART forums... I'll be back now - I was browsing thru bigger forums, but I'm really disappointed in them - the negativity there really has ****ed me off

So C U all @ CART forums...)

SJ Spode · 23 Oct 2001, 12:57 (Ref:164427)

Hi Laagri and Domaza, apologies for my ignorance but I wondered what WRC TV coverage was like in Estonia. Do you receive Eurosport or do you get coverage from Estonian national stations? Also has the coverage improved since Markko has been competing?

Laagri · 23 Oct 2001, 13:44 (Ref:164449)

Quote:

Originally posted by SJ Spode
Hi Laagri and Domaza, apologies for my ignorance but I wondered what WRC TV coverage was like in Estonia. Do you receive Eurosport or do you get coverage from Estonian national stations? Also has the coverage improved since Markko has been competing?

Hello to you too, SJ! Well, both Domaza and I have Eurosport, but obviously that's not available to everyone. The main Estonian TV channel shows a highlights programme of around 45 minutes on the Wednesday after each rally, plus of course there are snippets of information on the regular evening sports news programmes. Some of the radio stations have surprisingly good coverage too, especially of the 'local' rallies (Sweden and Finland). And people who live in northern Estonia, like me, can see Finnish television which, as you would expect, has quite good WRC coverage. Markko also gets a good deal of column inches in the newspapers, as do all the (relatively few) Estonian sportsmen and sportswomen who compete at top international level. And, yes, coverage has improved over the last couple of years since he's been driving world championship rallies regularly.

As far as I know, rallying has always been popular here. Part of that is no doubt to do with the success of the Estonians' cousins, namely the Finns. But I understand Estonia was always very well represented in domestic rallying in the former Soviet Union, even if they were all driving Ladas. Heck, that's what Markko started out with.

As for his English, yes I was his teacher, but only for one term back in 1995 or 1996, so I'm afraid I can't really take any of the credit. He was extremely quiet and I didn't even know he was a rally driver.

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