Mārtiņš Sesks’ step-by-step WRC debut at the wheel of the Ford Puma Rally1 is surely the most successful way to ease new drivers into the category and make them competitive from the start. Driving the non-hybrid car in the first test (Poland), to get used to the car’s specifications (namely aerodynamics, suspension, and transmission) before tackling the hybrid addition in his home test seems the most sensible approach, with the current shortage of test days.
Several other drivers have debuted at the wheel of a Rally1 since 2022 (Huttunen, Munster, Heller, Pajari). Still, only Pajari has shown similar speed, possibly helped by having enjoyed 4 days of testing with the car, while the others debuted before regulations admitted non-hybrid Rally1 cars.
Such a successful approach is also a great opportunity for us to find out what it’s like to discover what it’s like to drive one of these sensational cars, so we asked Martins for his impressions and he kindly agreed to answer our exclusive interview.
Mārtiņš Sesks: “Braking and the whole balance of the car is just different from Rally2. Everything happens faster, as well as braking itself, but all the feelings come naturally; they are balanced so there is no big “WOW” factor for one thing, it is all as a package“.
M.Sesks/R. Francis, Ford Puma Rally1 non-hybrid, 2024 Rally Poland, 5th – image by MSport WRT
Then Rally Poland, with the excellent performance we all remember: second in your only second stage with the car, fighting with Neuville all Saturday, and finishing in a brilliant 5th final position. In terms of driving, one of the goals in Poland was to get used to the aero, a task that usually takes a long time, not just a single event. How do you rate it?
MS: “For the aero, you just have to trust it. And still, after two rallies, I feel that there is still much room for improvement on how to use the aero. Small little details, of course, but they matter at this level”.
Other drivers after their first Rally1/WRC experience diverged about what was more difficult to adapt to (aero for Solberg, central diff for Fourmaux,…), What was the hardest for you?
MS: “I just enjoyed the opportunity and played with the cards I had. Overall, it is not easy to perform with limited testing options, but we managed it well“.
On Sunday, you lost the front splitter. How big was the difference, in terms of driving?
MS: “The car is made to work when all parts are intact. So once you lose the front splitter, all the air goes under the car, but still, the rear aero is working so you get this strange feeling. The front is going up, and still, the rear is pushing itself down; you cannot control the front because the front is lifted up. We tried to close front damper clicks, but still, for a fast rally like Poland, it was a game ender“.
M.Sesks/R. Francis, Ford Puma Rally1 non-hybrid, 2024 Rally Poland, 5th – image by MSport WRT
What about the jumps, were they difficult to handle?
MS: “We did not have many jumps, but I also think I was still too gentle on them; the Rally1 car is amazing on the jumps“.
Then you tested the hybrid car in Latvia, how did the driving change?
MS: “You have to spend more time analyzing when to use the hybrid boost, but this comes with experience. By the end of WRC Latvia, I was not thinking that much about it. Still, I would have to go through data to learn how to use it better“.
More difficult to adapt to the aero or the hybrid?
MS: “For me, the hybrid is harder“.
M.Sesks, Ford Puma Rally1, 2024 Rally Latvia, 7th – image by M-Sport WRT
Did you have time to work on the aero balance of the car during the tests and events?
MS: “We did not have much time for it, but we worked with ride heights to learn how to change aero, but did not have much time for it“.
Finally, as a driver, how did you prepare for details such as advanced aerodynamics?
M.S.: “Everything was new for me, but anyway, you cannot prepare 100% for that theoretically; feelings when you try it hit differently. You have to use your senses“.
Mārtiņš’s brilliant performance in Latvia, including 2 best stage times and holding 3rd position before the power stage, confirms that M-Sport’s approach is the most appropriate to ensure a new driver can adapt quickly to Rally1 and be competitive from the start (obviously aided by his knowledge of the stages). Congratulations to both the team and the driver/codriver, who have shown that they deserve another chance in the top class, which should arrive in the next few rounds before things cool down.
M.Sesks/R.Francis, Ford Puma Rally1, 2024 Rally Latvia, 7th – image by M-Sport WRT
About Post Author
