Markko Martin took victory in the 2007 Bettega Memorial rally aboard a Subaru Impreza WRC2007, scoring a convincing 21 wins from his 24 heats.

Held on 15-16 December at the Bologna Motor Show, this year saw the 23rd running of the honorary event that pays tribute to the memory of the late Attilio Bettega, a star of the world rally scene in the 1970s and early 1980s.

The rallysprint has long been an intrinsic part of the Italian motor show, held around a short superspecial stage constructed in the grounds of the exhibition centre, and pitches competitors head-to-head in three lap elimination races.

Having competed sporadically for the last two years, Martin relished the chance to compete against world rally drivers Francois Duval, Jan Kopecky and Toni Gardemeister in the latest WRC Impreza, shod with the new Pirelli PZero control tyre.

Sunday morning brought snow and ice, making the surface very slippery, but as the track dried in the afternoon, the competition got closer. Following some small setup changes to adapt to the conditions, the 32 year old Estonian excelled to achieve a well-deserved place in the final.

Taking to the start line for the best-of-five shootout alongside Gardemeister in a Peugeot 307, the two delivered a thrilling spectacle that took the fight down to the wire. Scoring two wins apiece, the final lasted the full five races, the Estonian and the Finn fighting tooth and nail in a battle of commitment and precision.

Ultimately, Martin edged out Gardemeister to snatch the win on the last heat of the final by a mere two tenths of a second. Belgian Duval, also driving a Subaru Impreza on this occasion, joined them on the podium in third.