WRC
Sesks keeping Estonia expectations in check
Mārtiņš Sesks is keeping his expectations measured ahead of the WRC's upcoming high-speed gravel events in Estonia and Finland, admitting that “nothing has been easy this year.”
Loose-surface rallies have traditionally been a strength for the Latvian, who underlined that form last month with a dominant FIA European Rally Championship victory at ORLEN OIL Rally Poland.
Sesks also showcased his rapid pace on fast gravel during last year’s world championship appearances, finishing fifth on his Rally1 debut in a non-hybrid Ford Puma in Poland. He followed that with two stage wins on home soil in Latvia before a mechanical issue on the final stage denied him a podium finish.
Despite that form, the M-Sport Ford driver remains cautious about what to expect when the WRC heads to Delfi Rally Estonia next week (17 - 20 July). He does, however, have some recent experience to draw on from the event, having contested it in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 when it featured on the FIA ERC calendar last year.
“We will see, as so far from this season I cannot have any expectations,” said Sesks.
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“Normally it [Estonia and Finland] should [suit me] but I guess everyone else also likes the fast rallies and Estonia and Finland have always been fast, and everyone is fast there. For Finland, being the first time in a Rally1 car, it could be that there are some difficult choices to make as to where to brake and not. In Greece you have to manage the speed and how to save the car but in Finland and Estonia it is a case of where to push the brake and where not to.”
Sesks has made it clear that this year’s six-round programme with M-Sport is a learning phase, following his breakthrough appearances last season.
The 25-year-old’s schedule this year has taken him to rallies where he has minimal prior experience, having only previously contested WRC rounds in Sweden, Portugal and Sardinia in a Rally4 car. Last month’s EKO Acropolis Rally Greece marked his first attempt at the notoriously demanding rough gravel classic.
A sixth-place finish at Rally Sweden remains his best result of the season so far. While 2025 has brought its share of challenges, it’s also offered valuable lessons for the future.
“I think nothing has been easy this year so this was another one. This whole year has been tough on us, it [Acropolis Rally Greece] was another check in the box,” added Sesks, who finished 15th in Greece following a fuel tank issue.
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“Every rally we have done this year, and for sure if we have the option to do it next year, it would be like two times easier as you have experience to take from.
“On our first time [in Greece] we’ve had to be quick learners, and I would say at some points we were quite good. On the points where we weren’t so good, it’s just about having knowledge for future years and at least now we know more about how to prepare for this rally.
“It needs more detailed preparation compared to other rallies and the experience we’ve gained this week will help that in the future.”
