Martins Sesks Set for World Rally Championship Debut in Non-Hybrid Ford Puma Rally1
Martins Sesks, the 2023 European Rally Championship runner-up, is all set to make his highly anticipated World Rally Championship (WRC) debut in the non-hybrid powered Ford Puma Rally1 car. This will mark the first appearance of the non-hybrid Puma Rally1 car at the WRC level, as it aids the transition to the full hybrid version for Sesks’ home round in Latvia.
The 24-year-old Latvian driver will take part in a two-round WRC deal, starting with the Rally Poland gravel event next week, which is the seventh round of the championship. Sesks will then compete in his home round in Latvia (18-21 July), made possible through a collaboration between the driver, M-Sport, and the WRC Promoter.
Sesks had the opportunity to test the non-hybrid Puma Rally1 car in Estonia earlier this week, providing valuable preparation for the challenges he will face in Poland. “The testing we did last week was something incredible, and a completely different experience to anything I’ve done before!” he expressed. “The car reacts so quickly, and how fast it goes round corners is just so unique and indescribable to anyone who hasn’t driven the car.”
The FIA has passed regulations this year that allow teams to field Rally1 cars without hybrid units, with ballast added to compensate for the weight of the plug-in hybrid system. This provides Sesks with the chance to gain valuable experience in the Rally1 machinery before transitioning to the full hybrid version for his home event in Latvia.
“For sure this year is a completely different game, this will be our first event in a Rally1 car,” Sesks said. “It will be a big challenge to get up to speed, but this is the goal for Poland. We will be driving non-hybrid to get use to the aerodynamics of the car, get to know the team and to get more and more ready to be in good shape for Latvia. The goal is to get the mileage, finish the rally and learn as much as we can.”
Sesks’ addition to the Rally Poland entry list will see M-Sport field three Ford Pumas, with the Latvian joining regulars Adrien Fourmaux and Gregoire Munster. The Pumas will be up against three-car entries from Toyota and Hyundai, making for an exciting and competitive WRC round.
Overall, Martins Sesks’ WRC debut in the non-hybrid Ford Puma Rally1 car is a significant milestone in his career, and it will be exciting to see how he navigates the challenges of the Polish gravel roads before his home event in Latvia.
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