Driver Profile
Building Speed in European Rallying
Sesks comes from Latvia and developed alongside co-driver Renārs Francis in European competition. In 2023, the pair finished runners-up in the European Rally Championship, a result that provided a foundation for their later opportunity in top-level WRC machinery. The European championship and the WRC have different calendars and competitive fields, so their runner-up finish should be understood in the context of the relevant championship.
After joining M-Sport’s Rally1 programme, the crew began applying their existing competition experience to the Puma. Competing in selected rounds allows them to gradually build mileage in the top category, but the range of surfaces they compete on, pre-event testing and the full-year budget also influence their progression and preparation.
Recent Performances and Development Goals
Front-running stage pace at the Saudi round in late 2025 brought Sesks and Francis back into the spotlight. After the rally, the crew said they could show their speed more effectively as their knowledge of the stages began to approach that of the regular competitors. This illustrates the importance of experience on the surface and the quality of preparation, but performance on a single stage still cannot be equated directly with an overall rally result.
The programme announced in early 2026 positioned the year as a development season, with the aim of gaining experience in WRC events under different conditions while continuing to compete in European events. That programme initially included the Saudi WRC round, which was later cancelled, so the number of appearances and calendar announced at the start of the year should not be treated unchanged as a current record of events actually completed.
A Partial-Season Programme and Established Partnership in 2026
Sesks drives the number 22 Ford Puma Rally1 for M-Sport on a partial-season basis, with Francis continuing as co-driver. Their long-standing partnership helps maintain continuity in their pace-note routines, while the WRC’s longer rallies, unfamiliar stages and varied conditions still require fresh preparation.
His schedule differs from the full-season programmes of McErlean and Armstrong. Entering fewer rounds does not prevent him from challenging for results in the selected events, but it changes how he accumulates championship points and experience on different surfaces. His actual participation schedule needs to be considered when interpreting his results.
What to Watch
Editorial analysis: When following Sesks, compare the crew’s times on their first and second passes through the same section to see how familiarity with the stages translates into speed. Standout individual stages should also be considered separately from the complete rally: tyre wear, repairs and mistakes can all change the final position. For partial-season competitors, progress is better assessed in the context of the specific surfaces and competition experience involved, rather than through championship standings alone.
How Results Are Recorded
Rally1 overall results, WRC2 class results, fastest stage times and full-season championship titles are recorded separately. This page is a snapshot of the profile information; for the latest driver and FIA manufacturer points, please see this site’s standings.
Last checked: 1 October 2026 · Historical statistics and current points are maintained separately