Sesks, 24, has made a strong impression in the European Rally Championship, where he clinched victories in the fast gravel events of Poland and Latvia last year. Earlier this week, it was revealed that Sesks will be competing in these same rallies at the WRC level this summer – and in an M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 car, no less.
The Rally Poland will serve as a practice event for Sesks before his home event in Latvia, as the Ford Rally1 car in Poland will not include a hybrid unit. In Latvia, however, he will be driving a full-fledged Rally1 car, complete with hybrid boost.
Sesks has already had his first taste of the Ford Puma, which he tested at M-Sport’s test track in England.
“We’ve driven a bit, about 70 kilometers, and that initial stress and excitement have subsided. Yes, when I first drove out of the garage, my legs were stiff,” Sesks revealed.
“But I think that understanding will increase in the next test sessions. In these first small tests, the main thing was to get used to all the controls and management systems, so that later, when we get back in this car, we feel at home,” the Latvian added.
Watch the video below of Sesks testing the Ford Puma Rally1 car. The article continues below the video.
Sesks and his co-driver Renars Francis will drive 200 kilometers in the Puma as a test before the Rally Poland, where they will cover 300 kilometers of special stages. Another 200 kilometers of testing will precede the gravel rally in Latvia.
So if all goes to plan, Sesks will have covered 700 kilometers behind the wheel of the Puma before the Rally Latvia, which will be the biggest competition of his career so far. The WRC Promoter and M-Sport are jointly offering Sesks this fantastic opportunity.
“Our main goal in these two stages is to cover all the kilometers. Demonstrating this stability will already be a victory for us. It must be added that Rally1 drivers have covered several thousand kilometers, so we will have little time to become competitive immediately,” Sesks assessed.
“At this level, the last tenths of a second are the hardest to find, and in these 700 kilometers, we are unlikely to find them right away, but reaching some level of competence will be relatively straightforward,” Sesks added.
If Sesks performs well, his appearances in a Rally1 car may not end here.
“As M-Sport Ford boss Malcolm Wilson said, he will be keeping a very close eye on us in these two stages.”
The Rally Poland is scheduled for the end of June, and the Rally Latvia will take place after mid-July. Next weekend, Sesks will compete in the Rally Islas Canarias in a Toyota Rally2 car.
Source: go4speed.lv
