Its name certainly doesn’t mean anything to you. Unless you’re a rally scholar, it’s unlikely you’ve ever heard of Martins Sesks. However, he has just made a rather sensational entry into the WRC on Friday, during the first day of the Rally Poland. With a Ford Puma devoid of a hybrid system, the Latvian held his own against the leaders in the category, and found himself at the end of SS8 in 5th place in the standings, 7″7 behind the leader, Andreas Mikkelsen ( Hyundai). His main achievement? A second time in SS2, the longest special of the day (29.4 km), three tenths behind the Norwegian.
Before arriving this week in Rally1, Sesks, a driver since 2014, had never driven in WRC2, the world’s second division. His main rally experience comes from the ERC, the European Championship, where he has been present since 2016. And the Latvian shone especially last year, at the wheel of a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 of the Indian team Team MRF Tyres. With two victories and four podiums, he finished the season in second place in the Championship, behind Hayden Paddon.
“It was a great day, I’m having a blast driving! Training continues tomorrow”
Enough to catch the eye of the WRC promoter, who has made it his mission to detect drivers with high potential in order to give them a chance at the highest level. This is how Sesks, who is driving a Toyota Yaris Rally2 in the ERC this year, found himself behind the wheel of an M-Sport Puma, first without a hybrid system this week in Poland, but with it at the next round, in Latvia (18-21 July). Two chances to get noticed, therefore, for the Latvian. “Martins’ performances over the last two seasons in the ERC have earned him this support,” said Peter Thul, head of competition at WRC Promoter. “He has won in Latvia and Poland (in the ERC) and we believe that over time he will become a familiar face in the WRC.”
Before setting off, Sesks played it modest: “You have to say it twice to believe that we are going to face the best drivers in the world in a Rally1”. At the finish of the last special of the day, Friday evening, he was still quite humble, but happy: “It was a great day, I’m having a blast behind the wheel! Training continues tomorrow.” Obviously, no one can predict the future of this 24-year-old, as places are rare and expensive at the top of the rally, but he has already impressed the usual WRC followers, on fast and dangerous terrain. And will obviously be one of the attractions of the next two days.
