Sesks wins ERC finale – Schulz takes junior title

The season finale of the European Rally Championship developed into an exciting duel between Martins Sesks in the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 and Roope Korhonen in the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Both drove for the MRF Tyres team and for long stretches dominated the action at the Rally 6 Cities North of Portugal.

Sesks had built a 10.5-second lead on Saturday together with co-driver Renars Francis. But on Sunday Korhonen raised the pace. The Finn won the first four stages of the day and took the lead after Sesks was additionally slowed by a damaged shock absorber.

With another fastest time Korhonen extended his lead to 10.6 seconds. Three stages from the finish the victory seemed within reach.

Technical defect costs Korhonen the victory

But on the following stage the tide turned. A defect in the rear differential of his Toyota meant Korhonen was running on front-wheel drive only. The Finn lost massive time and had to let Sesks pass him again.

The team could not get the problem under control on the remaining stages. On the final Power Stage Korhonen even lost second place to Pablo Sarrazin.

„We had fantastic speed, but it’s incredibly unfortunate. Up until the problem everything was going perfectly. But that’s rallying,“ Korhonen explained, disappointed.

For Sesks and Francis it was the fifth overall victory in the European Rally Championship. At the same time the MRF Tyres team secured the team title for the fourth time.

Second overall was the just 20-year-old Pablo Sarrazin in the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale. Together with Yannick Roche the Frenchman celebrated his first podium in the European Championship.

Timo Schulz becomes Junior European Champion

There was also plenty to celebrate at the ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team. Timo Schulz and co-driver Maresa Lade secured the title in the Opel Corsa Rally4 in the Junior European Rally Championship (JERC) 2026.

The 27-year-old from Saarland had travelled to the finale in Portugal as championship leader after his second win of the season at Rali Ceredigion in Wales. His only remaining title rival was team-mate Tom Heindrichs, the younger brother of WRC driver Thierry Neuville.

But the Belgian already suffered a heavy setback on Saturday. On the third stage the oil cooler of his Opel Corsa Rally4 was damaged. Heindrichs and co-driver Jonas Schmitz had to retire from the leg early and thus lost their promising position in the title fight.

For Schulz and Lade it was then mainly about not taking unnecessary risks on the demanding gravel stages around Fafe and bringing the result safely to the finish.

With the title win Schulz is at the same time rewarded for his strong season. After successes in Sweden and Wales as well as further podiums, he prevailed against the international young competition. The junior-EC title is also linked to a funded programme in the Junior World Championship 2027.

For the ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team it is already the seventh title win in this championship. Previous champions from the development programme include among others Marijan Griebel, Chris Ingram and Martins Sesks.

Marczyk secures the runner-up title

In the overall standings of the European Championship the title had already been decided before the season finale. Teemu Suninen had secured the championship early and opted not to start in Portugal.

Behind that the fight for second place continued. Miko Marczyk only needed eighth overall to secure second place, finishing five points ahead of Andrea Mabellini. The Italian had already retired on Saturday due to a technical defect.

Behind the top three Sesks, Sarrazin and Korhonen, Jan Solans and Simone Tempestini completed the top five.

Results 39th Rally Six Cities North of Portugal 2026