Mārtiņš Sesks claimed the fifth European Rally Championship victory of his career at the final round of 2026, Rally Six Cities North of Portugal.
The Latvian won the event by over a minute ahead of Pablo Sarrazin, who overhauled Roope Korhonen on the final stage as the Finn was restricted to only front-wheel-drive.
Sesks’ win also confirmed Team MRF Tyres as the ERC teams’ champions for the fourth time in 2026.
Thanks to his victory at the previous event in Wales, and his Portuguese national title in 2024, Kris Meeke was seen by many as pre-event favorite in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
However the Northern Irishman’s weekend got off to the worst start after a mistake in qualifying left him sweeping the road on Saturday.
Meeke was unable to repeat his victory from the previous month's Rali Ceredigion
Meeke did a good job considering that handicap to run sixth overall, but crashed out of the event on SS4 and wouldn’t restart on Sunday.
Simone Tempestini won Friday’s opening superspecial stage but it was MRF team-mate Sesks, who won qualifying in his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, who hit the front on Saturday: leading the first full leg from start to finish.
Fellow MRF runner Korhonen kept the part-time M-Sport Rally1 driver honest however, trailing Sesks by just 10.5s overnight.
Korhonen turned the screw on Sunday, gnawing away at Sesks’ advantage before grabbing the lead on SS13 of 17 with Sesks hampered by a front damper issue.
But two stages later it was Korhonen’s turn to hit trouble, as a broken rear diff aboard his Toyota destroyed his pace and plagued him with just front-wheel-drive.
That left the WRC2 winner in Sardinia vulnerable to the impressive Sarrazin, who was already on track for his first career ERC podium in his Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale before leaping ahead of Korhonen on the powerstage.
“What can I say?” Korhonen rued. “I think we saw our pace here but it’s really a shame. Everything went so well until this issue came. It’s part of the game and we need to continue.”
Korhonen was unfortunate to lose a fair crack at victory
Sesks finished the year fifth in the drivers’ championship courtesy of a maximum points score in Portugal, despite starting just two events (the other being Royal Rally of Scandinavia).
Teemu Suninen was absent in Portugal but had already won the championship at Rali Ceredigion, while outgoing champion Miko Marczyk claimed second in the standings ahead of Andrea Mabellini who retired with a technical problem.
Marczyk was eighth in Portugal, behind Jan Solans, Tempestini, Arthur Pelamorgues and Armindo Araújo.
Timo Schulz claimed the Junior ERC title in his Opel Corsa Rally4, and will therefore progress to Junior WRC in 2027.
