On the weekend of the 13 and 14th of September, Subaru World Rally Team test driver Markko Märtin will partner with Robert Reid, Richard Burns’ co-driver, for the Richard Burns memorial rally at the Royal Air Force airfield at Marham, Norfolk.
The event is to celebrate the life of Subaru’s 2001 World Rally Champion, a triumph that saw Burns become only Great Britain’s second world rallying champion, alongside Colin McRae.
Photo: SWRT
Burns’ first rally with the Subaru World Rally Team came in 1994 on the Rally of New Zealand. He competed again in GB that year, and did three events in 1995, where he claimed his first podium with third on the Network Q RAC Rally. Burns next climbed aboard an Impreza for the 1999 season, where he partnered Juha Kankkunen. He finished second three times in Argentina, Finland and China before clinching a double victory on the final two of the season; Rally Australia and the Network Q Rally of GB.
The 2000 season brought four wins, before Burns and Reid rocketed to the World Championship title in 2001, their final year with Subaru.
Märtin and Reid will drive a works Subaru Impreza WRC2008 in what will be a moving affair. It is the first time that Reid will partner Märtin, and the first time he has climbed aboard a World Rally Car since late 2003, just before Burns was diagnosed with the brain tumour he would fight valiantly for two years.
“It’s so nice to see an event like this take place, and it’s a pleasure to be involved in it” said Markko Märtin. “For me the sporting side is not so important, I just want to do as much as possible to support the cause. Of course, when the flag drops you want to do your very best, and we’ll give it a good go.
“But the most exciting part for me is that I am driving with Robert, as we’ve known each other for a while but never been in the same car. He was the only choice, it just felt right that he should do it so I asked him. I wasn’t sure whether he would accept as he hasn’t been in a rally car for so long, but it feels so satisfying that we are doing this together.”
The competition has attracted over 100 entries, all participating to raise money for the Richard Burns Foundation. There are three passenger rides alongside Markko in the Impreza WRC2008 up for auction, with all the proceeds going to the charity.
More information is available at http://www.richardburnsmemorialrally.co.uk
