The team principal of M-Sport Ford, Richard Millener, says that the team feels like they have disappointed Martins Sesks for losing his podium place in the Powerstage of his home event and can comprehend how the youngster might feel as he has impressed everyone with his performance.
The Latvian driver made his debut in World Rally Championship at Rally Poland a month ago as M-Sport Ford and WRC Promoter gave him the chance to get behind the wheel of the non-hybrid Puma becoming the first WRC driver who competed with a non-hybrid Rally1 car at the top level. At Rally Poland, his performance was impressive as he managed to be the second-fastest driver in Stage 2 and to complete Friday morning in second place. Rally Latvia was his second consecutive appearance in WRC, but this time he would drive the hybrid Puma. He took his first ever stage win in WRC in Stage 3 and totally he has claimed two stage wins while he was fighting for the podium positions with the WRC Champions, Kalle Rovanpera, Sebastien Ogier and Ott Tanak, last week. He made only three mistakes due to his lack of experience with the Rally1 cars, but he was trying to keep Tanak behind on Sunday. Their gap was at 4,6 seconds in favor of Sesks at the end of the penultimate stage of the rally, but a transmission problem just 600 meters into the Powerstage costed him a maiden podium in World Rally Championship and eventually he dropped from third to seventh. Last but not least, it must be mentioned that the Malcolm Wilson's team said via its post-event release that Sesks is very welcomed to compete with them again in the future.
"From a team perspective, I’m absolutely gutted", Millener said.
"I feel like we’ve let him down at the last second.
"You never know what’s happening but, it’s just…everybody’s working so hard as normal really but when you get to this point, you’re so close and I was really looking forward to watching that battle on the last stage.
"I think as everybody was.
"So I can only apologize for ruining people’s viewing because I wanted to watch it as much as anybody else.
"It’s hard for me to take, but I can’t imagine what it’s like for him to take.
"I think his reaction when he got here just goes to show his professionalism, to be honest.
"It’s going to hurt in the next couple of days for him, that’s for sure.
"But what he achieved this weekend, you can’t add anything more to what Ott said at the end of the stage.
"You can argue road position, local knowledge, all you like, you’ve still got to drive this thing down the road at 120mph, through the trees, and to hold off Sébastien Ogier for a day, day and a half, it’s pretty impressive".
Source: DirtFish.com
Photo Credits: M-Sport
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