WRC - Penalty for Fourmaux puts Sesks in front

Sport news Fourmaux had completed SS14 with a narrow 2.4sec cushion over Sesks and just 5.8sec in hand over Thierry Neuville after a leg in which the lead changed hands several times. But the Hyundai pilot was checked in one minute early to TC14A, the technical zone prior to overnight service, incurring a 60sec time penalty in accordance with the regulations. The adjustment promotes Sesks into top spot ahead of Neuville and Takamoto Katsuta, with Fourmaux now 57.6sec off the front in fourth. It capped a day of relentless drama. Fourmaux had begun the morning with a 6.0sec buffer, which was trimmed to 2.9sec across the opening loop before the afternoon erupted on the second pass of Um Al Jerem. M-Sport Ford World Rally Team driver Sesks delivered a stunning eight-second stage win to grab the lead, only for his charge to be checked on Wadi Almatwi when a rear-left deflation forced him to nurse his Puma Rally1 to the finish on the rim, losing close to a minute. Fourmaux also hit trouble, a front-left deflation forcing him to back off, but he kept his i20 N Rally1 rolling and initially moved back in front by the slenderest of margins before the time penalty reversed their positions. “It’s been crazy,” Fourmaux said before his penalty was served. “Every time we lose the lead, it comes back again. There are rocks everywhere. We’re just managing the risk and carrying on.” The drama stretched far beyond the fight between Fourmaux and Sesks. Earlier in the loop, both Sami Pajari and Ott Tänak – who had been locked the podium battle – were forced to stop and change wheels on the 30.58km Um Al Jerem. Pajari tumbled from third to seventh, while Tänak fell from fifth to outside the top 10. Their delays opened the door for Neuville and Katsuta, both of whom overcame tyre scares of their own to climb into what is now the overnight podium behind Sesks. But the deeper narrative remained centred on the FIA WRC title fight. Elfyn Evans’ hopes of securing a maiden championship took a major blow when he stopped on SS11 to change a flat tyre, losing more than 90sec and ending the day eighth. His Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT team-mate Sébastien Ogier, who began the rally three points behind, had been edging into a position of relative control until a rear-right deflation in the closing kilometres of SS14 cost him fifth to Kalle Rovanperä by just 0.2sec. Even so, the Frenchman holds a provisional one-point championship lead with up to 10 final-day and Wolf Power Stage points still available. “There was nothing we could do,” Ogier shrugged. “It’s pure lottery out there.” Rovanperä, who ended the day with a stage win, climbed into fifth ahead of Ogier, while Pajari recovered to seventh after his earlier delay. Behind Evans, Grégoire Munster and Oliver Solberg are ninth and 10th respectively. Gus Greensmith continues to top the FIA WRC2 order, but Nikolay Gryazin has replaced Kajetan Kajetanowicz at the top of the FIA WRC2 Challenger ranking. Matteo Fontana and Miguel Granados hold commanding leads in FIA WRC3 and FIA WRC Masters’ respectively. Saturday’s finale features two runs through Thabhan and a single pass over Asfan, the rally’s longest test at 33.28km. Just 65.86km now stand between the WRC and the crowning of its 2025 champion – with Sesks chasing a maiden victory out front and Ogier and Evans locked in a title battle that will be decided on the season’s final day. Click HERE for stage results and live timing.   World Rally Championship WRC WRC SEASON 2025 Sport Rallies 1SportWorld Rally ChampionshipRalliesWRCSEASON 2025WRC00 Friday, November 28, 2025 - 5:30pm Friday, November 28, 2025 - 5:30pm