Martins Sesks will return to the top flight of the World Rally Championship after agreeing a deal to take part in Rally Chile next month.
The 24-year-old Latvian made his Rally1 debut earlier this year as part of a two-round programme funded by the WRC promoter and his personal sponsors, competing in Poland (June) and Latvia (July).
Sesks and co-driver Renars Francis made waves in both of these gravel rallies, finishing fifth in Poland in June in a non-hybrid M-Sport Ford Puma. The duo then battled for a podium finish on home soil, taking two stage wins, including their first fastest time, in a Puma Rally1 Hybrid. However, a mechanical problem on the final stage saw Sesks drop from third to seventh overall.
Due to the impressive performances, Sesks and M-Sport are keen to continue working together, which has now resulted in a contract for the Rally Chile from 26 to 29 September, supported by the continued support of the WRC promoter.
Last year’s European Rally Championship runner-up will once again drive a non-hybrid version of the Puma in Chile, which will bring a completely new set of tests for Sesks.
“We are very grateful for the opportunity to drive a Rally1 car again just two months after our last rally,” said Sesks.
“It has been an incredible adventure so far and the driving experience just keeps getting better. Competing in Chile in a Rally1 car is truly incredible, so I would like to thank the WRC promoter and M-Sport for their support and collaboration.
Martins Sesks, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team
Photo by: McKlein / Motorsport Images
“Of course it will be quite a challenge, especially when you’re competing in a non-hybrid Rally1 car on a rally like this, on slower gravel and at high altitude, which is tough on both the car and the driver. It will be tough, but we love a challenge. Once again we’ll be the underdogs, driving a non-hybrid car in a rally we don’t know.
“But I think we are ready and everyone is motivated to give their best performance and embark on another great adventure with M-Sport this year. We are looking forward to it.”
Peter Thul, Senior Director of Sport at WRC Promoter, added: “Martins has already shown remarkable speed and determination in Poland and Latvia and we believe his future in the WRC is exceptionally bright. Supporting the next generation is vital to the continued growth and excitement of the WRC and our commitment to nurturing young talent is stronger than ever.”
M-Sport was victorious in Chile last year when Ott Tanak scored the second of two wins for the Puma Rally1 Hybrid in 2023.
Having explored the possibility of putting Sesks back in a Puma following the outing in Latvia in July, team boss Richard Millener is delighted to be able to add the driver to the team’s regular line-up of Adrien Fourmaux and Gregoire Munster for the trip to Chile.
“Martins has made a strong impression at his previous two events with us, so it is a pleasure to welcome him back to the team in Chile,” said Millener.
“It will undoubtedly be a challenging event, completely different from the previous ones. Given that he has no experience in this difficult rally, it is not an easy task, but it is a great opportunity for him to show his versatility and establish himself as a future talent.
“We hope that this experience will strengthen his ambition to become a permanent fixture in the Rally1 class.”
