M-Sport is treating Martins Sesks’ Rally Chile outing as an “prolonged audition” within the World Rally Championship because the Ford crew continues to evaluate the younger driver’s expertise for the longer term.
Rising star Sesks and co-driver Renars Francis have earned a 3rd outing in Ford Puma Rally1 this 12 months following spectacular shows to complete fifth and seventh respectively in Poland and Latvia rounds earlier this 12 months.
The chance to pilot a non-hybrid powered Puma in Chile has been made potential because of additional help from the WRC Promoter that helped fund the Latvians’ final two Rally1 appearances.
Sesks’ popularity as a future expertise has been enhanced by scoring maiden stage wins in Latvia on his technique to difficult for a probable third-place end earlier than a mechanical situation struck his Puma on the ultimate stage.
The 24-year-old’s efficiency has impressed M-Sport sufficient to emerge as a potential candidate for extra drives sooner or later because the crew weighs up its choices for 2025.
Staff principal Richard Millener is eager to see how Sesks will carry out in Chile, a rally that can supply a model new problem for the 2023 European Rally Championship runner-up.
“I feel there’s numerous curiosity from numerous events about what he is able to and, there’s numerous dialogue about Latvia, Poland being very comparable occasions, dwelling occasions and him realizing them properly, can or not it’s repeated ultimately?” Millener advised Autosport.
Martins Sesks, Renars Francis, M-Sport Ford World Rally Staff Ford Puma Rally1
Picture by: McKlein / Motorsport Pictures
“I do not wish to count on that he may repeat difficult for a podium in Latvia. What we wish to see is one other rally with no points and him get to the top with no errors and successfully have end result, which I feel may very well be performed by being intelligent as properly.
“The title struggle goes to be fairly massive and Chile is a reasonably tough rally as properly. It’s quick and technical I wouldn’t be stunned if there was a few accidents.
“If he can get high 5 once more, unbelievable, that’s extra the purpose, so it’s a little bit of an prolonged audition, I suppose. However actually, I’m not able to say that he’ll be signing with us for subsequent 12 months. It is only a case of making an attempt to see what else we are able to do for these junior drivers.
“I feel he is already confirmed what he is able to and this chance come about via M-Sport pushing as properly, but in addition via promoter and Martins along with his personal factor.
“It is a good alternative for us to see what throwing a totally new atmosphere at him with not numerous discover. What he can do and the way he approaches it.”
Along with a set of brand name new levels to be taught, Sesks is operating with out hybrid energy just like his debut in Poland. On these quick gravel levels the efficiency deficit to the hybrid-powered Rally1 automobiles was minimal, however the deficit is more likely to improve on Chile’s technical roads.
“In fact, it is going to be a giant problem to go to South America and drive a Rally1 automobile in Chile for the primary time,” stated Sesks.
Martins Sesks, Renars Francis, M-Sport Ford World Rally Staff Ford Puma Rally1
Picture by: M-Sport
“It is going to be an important journey I feel, one thing new once more and we’re now making an attempt to organize for the rally. We’re watching the onboards and seeing comparable issues to some European rallies.
“It is going to be a bit tougher for us driving the non-hybrid automobile, however once more it is a chance to indicate some tempo with out the hybrid, and if we succeed there it is even higher. Our expertise from Poland and Latvia in understanding the automobile will assist rather a lot. It is going to be a problem however we’re wanting ahead to it.”
Sesks isn’t the one rising star being supplied a uncommon Rally1 outing this weekend with Toyota fielding Sami Pajari in certainly one of its 4 GR Yaris. The Finn has changed common Takamoto Katsuta, who will sit out the journey to South America.
