Sesks rounds out 2026 with ERC Portugal win
Mārtiņš Sesks secured his fifth European Rally Championship victory at the final 2026 round in Portugal, helping Team MRF Tyres clinch the teams' championship. Despite mechanical issues for several top contenders, Sesks maintained his lead to finish the season on a high note.
Why it matters
This victory marks a significant milestone for both the driver and the MRF team in the competitive European rally circuit.
Mãrtiņš Sesks won the fifth ERC event of his career, to also confirm MRF as teams' champions for a fourth time
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.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in