So far, the season has been a difficult one for M-Sport, with even the smallest glimmers of hope proving few and far between.
In Finland, perhaps the highest expectations rest on the shoulders of Martins Sesks. The fast gravel roads of Finland should, in theory, suit the Latvian well.
Sesks has competed in Finland before, but it’s been several years since his last outing.
“It will be interesting to see how it goes in Finland. I competed here previously in JWRC six years ago, so it’s quite a new rally for me again,” Sesks admitted.
“Rally Finland is one of the most legendary events in WRC history, and I’ve been spectating since I was a child, watching and wondering what it would be like to drive a top-level WRC car – and now we’re here! We’ll see how it goes, but I’m excited for this one,” he added.
For Josh McErlean too, diving into the Finnish forests is the realisation of a childhood dream. The Irishman will finally get his chance this weekend.
“Rally Finland is an event I’ve been looking forward to ever since we got the opportunity to compete at Rally1 level. It’s a special feeling to be taking on these iconic Finnish roads in such a car,” McErlean said.
“This weekend is about taking a step forward – trusting in ourselves, committing fully to the pace, and showing what we can do with this package. The key will be confidence and rhythm, and I’m ready to enjoy every moment of the ride through the forests,” he continued.
Grégoire Munster, meanwhile, has work to do. He was the weakest of M-Sport’s drivers in Estonia, so now he has a chance to redeem himself.
“We just want to bounce back from the result we had in Estonia with some more positive progress this week,” Munster said.
“Finland is a rally I really like – the stages are fast and flowing, and Estonia was good preparation for it. Let’s see how the weather turns out; it can be very variable, especially if we get some rain,” he added.
