A Rally That Promised Glory — Until Everything Unraveled
M-Sport Ford driver Martins Sesks saw what could have been a breakthrough WRC victory slip away in heartbreaking fashion at the Saudi Arabia rally. After running at the front throughout the weekend and keeping the fight for the win alive, Sesks’ campaign collapsed dramatically on the penultimate stage.
Two Punctures and a Mysterious Engine Issue
The turning point came when Sesks suffered two punctures on the last but one special stage—an immediate blow to any hopes of challenging for the win. But the real surprise came afterward: during the road section, the M-Sport Ford’s engine began to emit strange noises before ultimately giving up completely, forcing an early retirement before the Power Stage.
“At the moment of the first puncture, we already understood the fight was practically over. And then before the second puncture, we started to hear some strange noise from the engine,” Sesks explained.
Desperate Efforts, But No Fix in Sight
Sesks and co-driver Renars Francis attempted everything possible to keep the car running.
“The car began to lose power and on the road section the situation was really peculiar. We changed everything that could be changed on the car, but we couldn’t find the fault,” Sesks said. “We were still able to limp on a bit, but you’re not going far like that.”
Despite the frustration, the Latvian still managed to find a positive: his raw pace was finally on full display.
Speed Proven — And Confidence Restored
“For me the biggest relief is that we had the pace. That’s what we can take away from this weekend. Now we’ll see what happens,” he said, looking toward future opportunities with renewed optimism.
No Pressure — Just a Weekend Where Everything Clicked
Although Sesks had shown sparks of promise last season, his 2024 results had been inconsistent at best. Still, he stressed that he felt no added pressure going into Saudi Arabia.
“No, no. As I said, it didn’t feel as if we had done anything radically differently, but it seems that it simply worked this time,” he noted.
While the final result was bitterly disappointing, Sesks’ performance left no doubt: he now has the speed and composure to fight at the very top of the WRC.
