ERC
Sesks sensational in ERC Portugal Qualifying Stage
Mārtiņš Sesks completed the Qualifying Stage for Rally 6 Cities North of Portugal as the driver to beat, the Latvian marking his return to the FIA European Rally Championship with the fastest time.
The sixth contender to tackle the 7.33-kilometre Luilhas test, Sesks did so in a table-topping 4min 22.7sec driving a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 on MRF tyres.
Roope Korhonen, who also forms part of the Team MRF Tyres line-up on the ERC season finale, was second fastest at the wheel of a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 in 4min 23.4sec as Michelin-equipped Pablo Sarrazin set the third fastest in a Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale.
Sesks said: “We made the changes to the car, and I made some on the road section here, just driving around, trying to see, because it’s nice to be back, but still, still a lot of job to get back comfortable.”
With the surface of the all-gravel stage deteriorating with every passing car, it meant the later runners faced a tough challenge to beat Sesks, who is aiming for a fifth ERC event win this weekend. However, there were some notable exceptions with Léo Rossel (27th on the road) and Jan Solans (25th on the road) impressing with the fifth and sixth fastest times respectively behind fourth-placed Hankook-shod Nikolay Gryazin.
More to follow...
