ERC
Success-seeking Sesks edges Korhonen in ERC victory bid
Mārtiņš Sesks is one day away from claiming his fifth FIA European Rally Championship victory after completing leg one of Rally 6 Cities North of Portugal with a 10.5sec lead.
But with the 2026 ERC season decider proving a stern test on rough gravel roads, victory is far from guaranteed for the Team MRF Tyres driver.
Fourth quickest through the Tarmac super special on the Monte Penha hillclimb in Guimarães on Friday evening, Sesks moved into a 2.0sec lead by winning Saturday’s first gravel stage.
Although he wouldn’t go quickest again until SS5, his advantage remained intact throughout, despite the Latvian hinting at a mechanical issue with his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. At the finish of Saturday’s final stage, he reported a problem with the pop-off valve.
“I was pushing in this one, my hands are a bit shaking, this was a good stage,” Sesks said after claiming his fourth stage win of the day on SS9. “A few places with the embedded rocks that threw the car up in the air, it’s quite a tricky thing. But it’s been a good day.”
© ERC
Behind Sesks, Roope Korhonen is on course to make it a 1-2 for Team MRF Tyres, with Pablo Sarrazin heading for a career-best third place on his third ERC start. Part of Team France’s National Match Rally line-up, Sarrazin set the pace on SS3 in his Michelin-equipped Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale to underline his potential.
Korhonen, meanwhile, went quickest on SS4, SS6 and SS8 but dropped precious time when he ran wide through bushes on SS9, which he completed with a deflated front-left tyre on his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
Léo Rossel took fourth from fellow Hankook-supplied Lancia driver Nikolay Gryazin on SS7. But when Rossel stopped with a broken wheel rim on SS8, Gryazin reclaimed the position as Rossel dropped outside the top 10.
© ERC
In another dramatic twist, Gryazin stopped 6.5 kilometres into the day’s final stage with a mechanical issue, promoting Jan Solans into fourth, SSS1 pacesetter Simone Tempestini into fifth and Arthur Pelamourgues into sixth.
Multiple Portuguese champion Armindo Araújo is seventh after overtaking Miko Marczyk on SS9, where the 2025 ERC champion was delayed by front-left tyre damage.
Portuguese championship contenders Pedro Almeida and Rúben Rodrigues are next, followed by Jakub Matulka, Nicolas Otto, Sebastián Franco and Adam Grahn, who was delayed by a spin on SS7 and an intercom issue during the morning loop. The delayed Rossel completed the top 15.
© ERC
Several drivers hit trouble during a day of high attrition. They included Kris Meeke, who crashed out on SS4, and Patrick Enok, who rolled on the same stage. Sarah Rumeau was running a strong ninth on her ERC debut before rolling into retirement on SS7, where Tymek Abramowski also ended up on his roof and Andrea Mabellini stopped.
Ville Vatanen was nearing the finish of SS9 when a heavy landing triggered an alarm on board his Ford Fiesta Rally2 and forced him to pull over. Contesting his prize drive for winning the ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy, the Pirelli-equipped Finn was in 11th place at the time after a highly encouraging display.
Rally 6 Cities North of Portugal resumes tomorrow (Sunday) with the 8.73-kilometre Montim stage from 08:05 local time.
Watch the action live on Rally.TV and follow all the news, stage times and results via the Live Centre.
