ERC
Dominant Sesks builds healthy ERC Poland lead
Mārtiṇš Sesks delivered a dominant display on his FIA European Rally Championship return to open up a healthy lead heading into the final day of ORLEN OIL 81st Rally Poland.
Sesks guided his MRF-equipped Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 to fastest times in five of Saturday’s seven fast gravel stages to open up a 21.4sec advantage over fellow MRF shod Roope Korhonen, piloting a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
Sesks, the 2023 Rally Poland winner, produced an almost faultless drive with the only blemish arriving in stage three when he misjudged the braking into a fast right hand corner and briefly ran off the road, handing Korhonen a stage win in the process.
“I’m really happy to be back at Rally Poland, and with MRF Tyres and the SRT team and everyone. It has been a great day but tomorrow is the same, so we have to get our head down and keep working," said Sesks.
Points leader Korhonen proved to be the only driver able to keep pace with Sesks evidenced by a time only 0.9s slower than the Latvian on stage seven, the final traditional test before the day’s Mikołajki Arena super special that curtailed Saturday’s action.
Home hero Miko Marczyk, who sits second in the championship standings, gave the Rally Poland crowd plenty to cheer as the top Michelin runner in third. Friday night rally leader Marczyk ended the day 12.5sec behind second-placed Korhonen.
"I would say it was not a frustrating day but we were trying to do our best. In some places it was like that but in some places we lost a few seconds here and there," said Marczyk. "Now we don’t have tyres that have grip, but we have reached the finish and we should be happy as probably tomorrow we will have a good starting position, and be in the fight for the podium places."
Jon Armstrong climbed up the leaderboard across the afternoon stages
© ERC
M-Sport-Ford World Rally Team’s Jon Armstrong grew in confidence as the day progressed. After ending the morning loop in sixth overall, Armstrong produced stunning pace across the afternoon to climb to fourth, in his Ford Fiesta Rally2, running on Pirelli tyres. Armstrong demoted the top Hankook runner Isak Riersen to fifth across the afternoon loop.
“It has been quite good day but it was a little bit of a cautious start, I wasn’t quite myself but it has been getting better through the day and I'm driving closer to where I need to be," said Armstrong. "The guys at the front of the rally are in a different pace at the minute but to be in fourth is quite good for us. We will keep pushing.”
Operating with a new co-driver in Giovanni Bernacchini, Mads Østberg found the day challenging as the Norwegian adjusted to a new partnership. Østberg’s Citroen C3 Rally2 developed an issue across the afternoon that further hampered progress, ending the day in sixth, 1m05.1sec adrift.
Simone Tempestini will start Sunday’s action from seventh ahead of title contender Andrea Mabellini, who endured a difficult day, suffering tyre damage in the afternoon stages. The Italian, carrying only one spare, had to nurse his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 through the final two stages of the day with a bulging rear tyre. However, Mabellini topped the Mikołajki Arena super special test.
Sweden’s Mille Johansson battled setup issues through the day to sit ninth, while Poland’s Jakub Matulka rounded out the top 10.
Jos Verstappen set the second fastest time on the day's final test to lead the Master ERC class by 29.4sec from Poland’s Zbigniew Gabryś.
Despite battling a power issue, Tymek Abramowski (Ford Fiesta Rally3) set the pace in the ERC3 class, completing the day's stages with a slender 8.6sec lead over the Renault Clio Rally3 driven by Ville Vatanen. Tristan Charpentier held third, 28.2sec behind.
In Junior ERC, Calle Carlberg (Opel Corsa Rally4) topped the class by 28.2sec from Jaspar Vaher (Lancia Ypsilon Rally4).
Six stages await the crews on Sunday, comprising 84.80 competitive kilometres that will conclude the fourth round of the ERC season.
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