Ford star Markko Martin says he doesn't care if he affects the outcome of the World Rally Championship this weekend in his efforts to win Wales Rally GB.
The 27-year-old Estonian has pledged to win the final round of the WRC,
and says he isn't worried about taking points off drivers who might need
them, such as Subaru's Petter Solberg - his former team-mate.
"The roads are the type that I enjoy, and I will be going flat out
to try to end the year with a win," said Martin. "If I did win,
then it could mess up several people's world title hopes. But that's not
my worry. My target is to win and to take the 10 points and I really think
the best the rest can expect is eight points".
"The weather plays such an important part on this rally," he
added. "If it's dry then that's no problem. But if it's wet the roads
can cut up and become quite rough on the second pass. Fog is the one thing
I want to avoid. It's such a fast rally that if you can't see anything
in the fog, it's difficult to drive flat out."
Martin's pre-rally test plans have been altered to allow him to return
home to Estonia for treatment following his accident in Corsica earlier
this month. His two-day test in the north-west of England on Wednesday
and Thursday was reduced to just one day.
Should Martin's Ford BP Rallye Sport team score points in Wales this weekend,
then it will be a second consecutive season in which the team has scored
points on every round. Team chief Malcolm Wilson said: "To repeat
the feat in 2003, when the championship is more competitive than at any
time in its history, would be an incredible achievement, a testament to
the speed and reliability of the Focus RS WRC and a fitting reward for
everyone involved in the development of the 2003 car."
© Copyright wrc.com