Fourmaux got a head start in Portugal already last weekend. The Frenchman drove a Hyundai i20 N Rally1 car in an event that was part of the Portuguese national rally championship. This allowed him to test his car in authentic competition conditions without using up any of his team’s official test days.
Fourmaux appreciated the opportunity to carry out his testing in a proper rally.
“It was a really good experience for us and also excellent preparation,” Fourmaux said, according to Portuguese outlet AutoSport.
“It’s a very beautiful rally. The stages are stunning. I’d say especially the final stage, which was run twice. This time it was completely wet, but it’s a really beautiful stage,” the Hyundai star added.
The Rally Aboboreira, held around the town of Amarante, took place in challenging conditions. Due to rain, the gravel roads were slippery and muddy in places. Despite the tough weather, large crowds of rally fans turned out to watch Fourmaux and the other drivers in action.
“Even with all the rain we had, it was really enjoyable. It’s not even a WRC event, yet there were so many fans, which was really, really good,” Fourmaux marvelled.
“I just feel sorry for them on the last stage, as we were definitely slower than in the morning due to the conditions, but that’s how it was.”
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The fifth round of the WRC season will be held next week on the gravel roads of northern Portugal. Just over a week ago, Hyundai struggled on the tarmac roads of Rally Islas Canarias, but the team is now aiming for a strong result in Portugal.
Fourmaux has every chance to fight for top positions in Portugal. He will benefit from a favourable starting position on the opening day, and the characteristics of the rally suit his driving style.
“We had high expectations before the Canaries, but those faded quite quickly. I think things will go much better on gravel – but let’s see, we’ll only know during the rally. In any case, we’ll give it everything we’ve got,” Fourmaux emphasised.
Fourmaux was the best-placed Hyundai driver in the Canary Islands, finishing fifth on the tarmac event. He scored his best result of the season so far in the opening round in Monte Carlo, where he placed third.
Rally Portugal is scheduled for 15–18 May.
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