Fourmaux set off on soft tyres, and at the moment that choice makes him look like a genius. Fourmaux leads the rally after the first proper day of running.
The Frenchman, chasing the first top-class victory of his career, heads into Friday with a six-second lead over Toyota’s Sami Pajari.
“I’m quite pleased with how we managed to save tyres and avoid dropping out of contention, while at the same time keeping the performance we were aiming for,” Fourmaux summed up.
“It’s great to be leading tonight. We know that road position is also important here, as the line gets swept clean. Overall, a very positive day,” he continued.
Why did you choose to start on soft tyres, unlike everyone else?
“The aim was to avoid what happened to some other drivers this afternoon,” Fourmaux said, referring to the others’ punctures.
Fourmaux stressed, however, that the idea was not something he came up with on his own. The credit belongs, so to speak, to the whole team.
“This was the team’s strategy, and it seems to be working. We are losing time, but in the end we gain it back overall,” Fourmaux praised.
Was this one of your best days in the top class of the World Rally Championship?
“Well, perhaps not one of the very best, but definitely a positive one,” Fourmaux said.
