Peugeot: Martin will miss Japan.

Peugeot team boss, Jean-Pierre Nicolas has confirmed that Markko Martin will not take part in the Rally Japan, the next round in the FIA World Rally Championship, which runs from September 30-October 2.

The Estonian is understandably devastated following the death of his co-driver, Michael Park, who lost his life when their 307 WRC went off the road on the Rally GB Sunday in SS15 and hit a tree.

"Markko's presence there - in Japan - is totally unthinkable," Nicolas told Eurosport.com

"What's happened is still too raw. Markko has been affected very much psychologically. Marcus [Gronholm - his team-mate] too, like everyone else [is very upset].

"We're still in shock and we still can't get over what happened. We have to shake ourselves out of it to turn towards the future, but it's very hard. Markko has been to visit Michael Park's wife with Paul Turner, his manager. He also wanted to see the car and go back to the scene of the accident to try and understand what happened. He wants to know. He remembers nothing at all [about it]."

Peugeot meanwhile have asked the FIA - the sport's governing body to extend the deadline for confirming their second driver.

It is thought they could enter just one car in Japan - for team leader Marcus Gronholm, or they might miss the event completely. There has even been speculation they could quit the sport straight away, rather than take in the final four events, before their planned exit.

Should Peugeot run a second car - something that is by no means certain - then test driver, Daniel Carlsson, who competed in a third 307 in Finland, is thought likely to fill the void.