With support from M-Sport Ford and the WRC Promoter, the Latvian driver Sesks was given the opportunity to compete in two events with the Ford Puma Rally1 car. Sesks showed incredible form in both Poland and his home rally in Latvia, where he fought for a podium position until the very end.
A technical issue with the Ford forced Sesks to limp through the final special stage on Sunday. As a result, he dropped from third to seventh place in the final standings of the Rally Latvia.
“At that point, you 100% know that it’s over. And from that point, there is nothing really you can do. With this kind of technical issue, you just try to get to the finish, and that’s it,” Sesks stated.
The dream of achieving his first career podium did not come true this time, but Sesks showcased his potential. The Latvian driver set his first fastest times on Friday and competed for top positions against world champions Sebastien Ogier and Ott Tänak.
Few could have expected such remarkable performances from Sesks, even on his home turf. After the rally, the disappointed driver received support from his competitors.
“After the stage, Ott came and he said that he had been in this position.”
“It looked maybe too easy from the outside in Poland and in Latvia, but we really did our job. I think the most important thing is that if we had the top three, it would be because we had a good pace and the team was working perfectly. It wasn’t just some fortune or something,” Sesks emphasised.
Throughout the weekend, Sesks received tremendous support from the home crowd, but he was also constantly in the spotlight. For instance, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics visited the young rally hopeful during the race weekend.
Sesks’s comment about Rinkevics’s visit speaks volumes about his dedication to success.
“It is a really nice thing to have when you have a president coming, but it took a lot of energy out of us. Maybe some good hours from preparations as well. But I think you just have to cope with it when the WRC is coming to your home,” Sesks said.
Sesks hopes to get at least one more chance behind the wheel of a Rally1 car.
“I haven’t met them (the promoter) yet. I will ask this question, of course.”
