Should we find traces of life on Mars of a significantly different sort from what we have here, that will be the really important thing, because two occurrences of independent life origination would indicate life is common everywhere. The coincidence would otherwise be huge.
However, if what we find uses DNA or even the RNA code or is otherwise like us, then we will have issues to sort out before reaching conclusions.
It is entirely possible that life evolved first on Mars, as Mars would have reached inhabitable status sooner than the earth, being smaller and cooler, and then got transported to the earth via meteors.
I think that unlikely and that it is more likely that there never was life on Mars and life originated on Earth.
Still, if we find traces of life on Mars, we want to be able to say which was the case. If the life is very much like the life on Earth, does that tell us the first scenario (above) is true or that we managed to contaminate the traces or perhaps we can expect life everywhere to use the same chemistry? I would think it extremely important that every precaution against contamination be taken.
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