Competing in only his second event with Ford’s Rally1 car, Sesks showed impressive pace in his home rally and was in third place before the final special stage. However, a fault in the Ford Puma Rally1 car during the Power Stage dropped him from the podium to seventh place.
Due to Sesks’s misfortune, Estonian driver Tänak moved up to third place in the final standings. Tänak was among the first to console Sesks when the disappointed Latvian hopeful reached the finish.
At the post-rally press conference, Tänak had some encouraging words for Sesks, who was sitting next to him.
“This was a great event for sure. It’s thanks to this local superstar here. Every place actually needs their own superstar. He was here, and he was delivering. And it’s obviously unfortunate that it didn’t end as well as expected,” Tänak said.
“I told Martins before that now it’s tough and it tastes like shit. But it’s experience, and it makes you only stronger and more hungry. I’m sure he will bounce back,” Tänak added, as Sesks listened attentively beside him.
Sesks also received praise from eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier, who finished second in the first-ever Latvian WRC event.
“We need to start this by congratulating him because it was again, let’s say, a big surprise for everybody or at least a discovery of his talent in Poland. Here he was super, super strong. So this time it was not a surprise anymore. We expected him to be fast and to have a good competition,” Ogier lauded.
