Here's the thing: speed is never the problem for Mārtiņš Sesks, but the 27-year-old is left searching for answers after a brutal campaign.
The Latvian completed a six-round programme with M-Sport Ford this year, showing flashes of real pace and trading stage times with the championship's elite. Unfortunately, a wave of misfortune turned the season into what Sesks described as "troubled."
I think it is also a question that after these two and half years that if part-time offers are all we can get then I probably need to do something else,
Tyre damage struck in Sweden, Portugal, Greece, and Sardegna, hammering his chances of a strong points haul across those events. Finland offered a brilliant glimpse of his potential as he ran as high as fifth, only for a crash near the end of SS14 to crush his hopes of a strong finish. Alongside co-driver Renārs Francis, Sesks ultimately recorded three points-scoring finishes to end the season 16th in the drivers’ standings.
"Our weekend [in Sardegna] had troubles as we had in all of the rallies this year. We didn’t have any rally without an issue so that is what we get for this year," said Sesks. "It [the season] was troubled. But again we showed some good stage times, top three times and so on, but in the end it didn’t really go anywhere. I’m not sure how to rate my season."
Before turning his full attention to 2027, Sesks will join Roope Korhonen and Patrick Enok in the Team MRF Tyres line-up for this weekend’s FIA European Rally Championship finale, Rally 6 Cities North of Portugal. The event will mark his second ERC appearance of the season, following second place at May’s BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia in an MRF Tyres-shod Škoda Fabia RS Rally2.
Securing more regular seat time is high on his priority list for 2027 as he considers his next move. "I will probably drive something with someone, somewhere," said Sesks when asked about his plans for 2027. "It is just a matter of seeing what is possible and what kind of offers we can have and what kind of discussions we can have."
"I think it is also a question that after these two and half years that if part-time offers are all we can get then I probably need to do something else," he added.
