M-Sport Ford World Rally Team is thrilled to announce that the Latvian pairing, Mārtiņš Sesks and Renārs Francis, will return to it’s Rally1 ranks for a six-round season in the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship.
With their first appearance of 2025 taking place on Rally Sweden next month, Sesks and Francis will make their highly anticipated return to M-Sport’s Ford Puma Rally1 after their stunning debut performances last year.
Sesks, now 25 years old, made his Rally1 debut during the 2024 season, piloting the first competitive appearance of non-hybrid Rally1 machinery on Rally Poland, before upgrading to full-hybrid on his home Rally Latvia a month later.
Capitalising on his experience from the European Rally Championship, Sesks amazed fans with his maiden appearance in Poland. Claiming the second-fastest time on Friday’s opening stage, Sesks would keep close to the championship leaders throughout the weekend, and despite not having the added power of the hybrid system, he finished his first top-level event fifth overall.
Sesks’ full-hybrid debut in Latvia was even more impressive. Claiming his maiden stage win on the third stage of the rally, the young star would spend most of the weekend fighting for the podium positions.
Adding to his already impressive resume, featuring strong appearances in the Junior World Rally Championship and European Rally Championships, this upcoming partial season with M-Sport represents the next chapter of his career.
Competing on selected gravel events after Sweden, Sesks and Francis will make appearances in Portugal, Sardinia, Greece, Estonia and Finland alongside full-time teammates Munster and McErlean. Sesks becomes the latest addition to M-Sport’s young driver line-up, representing the team’s dedication to supporting the rally stars of the future.
Sesks makes this step up to Rally1 with support from M-Sport World Rally Team sponsor, SafetyCulture. Sesks’ promising talent caught the eye of the Australia-based tech firm, and its involvement has played a key role in making this partial season happen. Sesks’ 2025 plans were also teased in the final episode of the SafetyCulture-supported ‘More than Machine’ docuseries, which launched last week on YouTube.
Richard Millener, Team Principal, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team, said:
“I think Martins made a lot of new fans in a very short space of time last season, and now to think that those two performances have allowed him to find a six event programme this year is fantastic.
"Obviously without the support of his own sponsors, and SafetyCulture, this year wouldn’t be possible. A big thank you goes to all involved, as well as a mention to the WRC Promoter, who helped to raise the budget for the events last season. The culmination of all this support has come together to deliver what we see today.
“I am really excited to see what can be achieved by Mārtiņš and Renārs this year. Chile was a reminder that it won’t all be plain sailing, but I know that the speed he has shown, plus his determination and character, will make him a fantastic addition to our 2025 line-up.”
Luke Anear, Founder, SafetyCulture, said:
"Mārtiņš is a natural talent. He has an X-factor in his driving and his approach to the sport is refreshing. He has demonstrated that he has the pace to beat the best in the world, so it’s going to be exciting to see him at the top level again in 2025."
Mārtiņš Sesks said:
“We are very excited to continue our collaboration with the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team this year! We feel truly honored that our debut in the WRC’s Rally1 league last year has fostered such trust from both M-Sport and SafetyCulture. Additionally, the genuine interest from both long-standing and new sponsors from Latvia in supporting our efforts is very thrilling!
“This opportunity provides us with immense motivation to further our journey in the WRC’s Rally1 class. As we look ahead to the 2025 season, we anticipate many new challenges, but we are more motivated than ever and ready to learn, all while bringing joy to our fans. The chance to compete half of the 2025 WRC season promises to deliver invaluable experience for the years to come.
"Our goal is to add one more event with the Puma to our current list, the rally in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, we will be actively working throughout the season to secure the financial support necessary to make this goal a reality.”
Published 14 January 2025