ERC
BREAKING: Sesks hits back for fifth ERC win
Mārtiņš Sesks snatched a fifth FIA European Rally Championship win from the jaws of defeat after a dramatic finale to Rally 6 Cities North of Portugal, the 2026 ERC season showdown on Sunday.
Sesks had completed leg one with a lead of 10.5sec over Roope Korhonen, his team-mate at Team MRF Tyres. But when a damper issue struck the Latvian’s Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 and left him trailing his Finnish rival by 8.2sec following the morning loop of stages, his chances of victory were seemingly on the slide.
There was late heartbreak for Sesks' MRF team-mate Roope Korhonen on Sunday
© At World
Korhonen then edged further ahead after he beat Sesks by 2.4sec on SS14 for a lead of 10.6sec with three stages remaining. However, there was late heartache for Korhonen when his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 dropped onto two-wheel-drive mode and Sesks raced clear to win alongside co-driver Renārs Francis. Eventually the Finn completed the rally in third, dropping behind Michelin-equipped Pablo Sarrazin on the Power Stage.
Sarrazin had battled a steering issue throughout the morning loop aboard his Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale, but was still able to celebrate his maiden ERC podium.
Rounding out the top five were Jan Solans and Simone Tempestini.
Pablo Sarrazin claimed his maiden ERC3 podium on Sunday
© At World
Armindo Araújo was the top Portuguese finisher in seventh followed by Miko Marczyk, who just did enough to clinch the runner-up spot in the final standings ahead of Andrea Mabellini, who retired on leg one with a mechanical issue.
Miko Marczyk did enough to finish the season in second overall
© At World
Pedro Almeida overcame gearbox issues to finish ninth ahead of Jakub Matulka.
