Sesks Inherits Rally Saudi Arabia Lead as Fourmaux Hit by Late Penalty; WRC Title Fight Down to a Single Point

Mārtiņš Sesks will head into Rally Saudi Arabia’s decisive Saturday as the surprise leader after a dramatic late twist sent shockwaves through both the event and the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship title race.

What had been a gripping Friday battle ended with a crucial time penalty for Adrien Fourmaux, who dropped from first to fourth after checking in one minute early to TC14A, the technical zone before overnight service. The 60-second penalty erased the slender 2.4-second advantage the Frenchman held over Sesks at the end of SS14.

Sesks Leads, Neuville and Katsuta Complete Overnight Podium

The revised standings promote Latvia’s Sesks and co-driver Renars Francis into the rally lead, 3.4 seconds ahead of Thierry Neuville. Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta completes the top three, with Fourmaux now 57.6 seconds back in fourth.

Friday’s leg was a masterclass in chaos, as leadership changes, punctures and tyre gambles defined the desert drama. Sesks had seized the lead with a stunning eight-second win on the second pass of Um Al Jerem, only for a rear-left deflation on Wadi Almatwi to force him to crawl to the finish on the rim, costing him nearly a minute.

Fourmaux also suffered a front-left puncture but initially reclaimed the rally lead before the late penalty reversed the order.

“It’s been crazy,” Fourmaux said before news of the sanction. “Every time we lose the lead, it comes back again. There are rocks everywhere. We’re just managing the risk and carrying on.”

Pajari and Tänak Caught Out; Neuville and Katsuta Survive Tyre Scares

The day’s turbulence extended throughout the field. Sami Pajari and Ott Tänak—both in podium contention—were forced to stop and change wheels on the 30.58km Um Al Jerem stage. Pajari plunged from third to seventh, while Tänak dropped outside the top 10.

Their setbacks handed Neuville and Katsuta a path to the provisional podium, despite both nursing tyre concerns of their own.

WRC Title Race Explodes: One Point Between Ogier and Evans

While the rally lead swung wildly, the championship story deepened even further. Elfyn Evans’ hopes of sealing his first world title suffered a devastating setback when he stopped to change a puncture on SS11, losing over 90 seconds and ending the day eighth.

Sébastien Ogier, who started the rally three points behind Evans, looked set to seize momentum—until a rear-right puncture in the final kilometres of SS14 dropped him behind Kalle Rovanperä by 0.2 seconds. Even so, Ogier ends Friday with a provisional one-point lead in the WRC standings, with 10 rally points and five Power Stage points still up for grabs.

“There was nothing we could do,” Ogier remarked. “It’s pure lottery out there.”

Rovanperä’s strong finish, including a stage win, elevated him to fifth, while Pajari climbed back to seventh and Grégoire Munster and Oliver Solberg completed the battered top 10.

Final Showdown Awaits: 65.86km to Decide the 2025 WRC Champion

Saturday’s finale features two passes through Thabhan and a single run over Asfan—the rally’s longest stage. Just 65.86km remain before the 2025 WRC champion is crowned.

Sesks is chasing his maiden Rally1 victory, while Ogier and Evans enter the final day separated by a single point in one of the closest title deciders in recent history.

Standings after Friday (SS14/17)

M. Sesks / R. Francis (LVA) – Ford Puma Rally1 – 2h 43m 20.1s
T. Neuville / M. Wydaeghe (BEL) – Hyundai i20 N Rally1 – +3.4s
T. Katsuta / A. Johnston (JPN) – Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 – +41.5s
A. Fourmaux / A. Coria (FRA) – Hyundai i20 N Rally1 – +57.6s
K. Rovanperä / J. Halttunen (FIN) – Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 – +1m 12.6s
S. Ogier / V. Landais (FRA) – Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 – +1m 12.8s

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