Following in the footsteps of his father, former WRC driver Markko Märtin, 17-year-old Frederik Märtin is charting his own course in motorsport. The young Estonian from Tartu has taken a bold step by committing himself to the RallyX championship in 2025. Having secured the runner-up spot in the 2024 Estonian CrossCar championship, Frederik sees this transition as a pivotal moment in his career.
“I only started racing three years ago, concentrating on CrossCar. Prior to that, my experience was limited to occasional ice driving with cars and ATVs. In many ways, my passion for motorsport came later than most,” he explains.
Frederik attributes his decision to compete in RallyX to his close friendship with fellow Estonian Lucas Orav.
“Our dads have been friends for years. One day Lucas and his dad came to visit us and we immediately hit it off. Lucas had been racing CrossCar for some time, so I naturally followed his progress and became increasingly curious about the sport,” says Frederik.
“That curiosity quickly turned into action and soon I was behind the wheel myself. We now compete in the same events and even test together. Motorsport has definitely strengthened our friendship.”
Frederik also noted how watching Lucas compete sparked his own interest in RallyX.
“At first I didn’t see myself competing in RallyX, but as I watched more and more races, I couldn’t help but be drawn in. And it’s not just Lucas – other Estonian drivers like Martin Juga are also competing, which only deepened my enthusiasm for the championship.”
Frederik’s decision to race with a Speedcar chassis was a practical one, thanks to his connection with Lucas’ father.
“Lucas’ dad is the Speedcar distributor for Estonia, which made the choice easy. It’s much easier to deal with everything from parts and setups to technical questions when you have a reliable local connection,” he explained.
Despite their friendship, Frederik and Lucas are fierce competitors.
“I finished the Estonian championship just ahead of Lucas in 2024, and the competition between us was intense throughout the season. We love to challenge each other and it’ll be exciting to see who comes out on top in RallyX. In Estonia we often teased each other – he’d say he was better and I’d say the opposite. Now, with the head-to-head format of RallyX, we’ll finally be able to settle the score.”
Frederik knows that RallyX will push him beyond his comfort zone.
“Even though I did well in Estonia, the RallyX format is a completely different experience. In Estonia we drove rally sprints without direct confrontation. This season will be a huge change for me, but I’m ready for the challenge”
Frederik will benefit from his father Markko’s experience, which includes five wins and 18 podium places in WRC.
But the young driver is determined to make his own mark.
“I want to create my own identity. To be honest, I was reluctant to give this interview because I didn’t want the focus to be on my surname. I’m trying to avoid unnecessary pressure or expectations”
“So far my results have been limited to rally sprint events, which are very different from rallycross. Even the few Rallycross events I’ve competed in haven’t gone as smoothly as I’d hoped,” he admitted with a smile.
Frederik emphasised the relaxed dynamic he shares with his father.
“We haven’t discussed this RallyX programme in great detail. We just agreed that it would be a great opportunity to try something new. We are very much on the same page, so there hasn’t been much debate.”
“Our relationship has always been relaxed. If I need advice he’s always there, but there’s never been any pressure from him to perform. It’s a great balance.”