During the 2022 season, Fourmaux struggled at the wheel of Ford’s Rally1 car and was demoted to the WRC2 class last year. This season, however, the Frenchman has returned to the spotlight stronger than ever.
At Monte Carlo, the opening event of the season, Fourmaux finished a solid fifth. In Sweden in February, he achieved his first podium in the top class, finishing third, a feat he repeated at the Safari Rally in Kenya in March.
The WRC continues this week in Croatia, where Fourmaux has both fond and challenging memories. In the 2021 season, he impressively finished fifth, which remained his best performance until February. However, in 2022, he crashed out early on the third stage.
“Croatia is a really special event for me, it was my first time in a world rally car in the championship back in 2021, where I finished 5th. I really like the roads, with the really smooth tarmac sections, but it’s also one of the most difficult tarmac events of the season,” Fourmaux explains.
“Because the grip is so changeable, it’s not easy to know where the grip is and where it’s not, the kind of tarmac changes so much. So we need a lot of precision because there are also a lot of cuts.”
Despite the rally’s difficulties, Fourmaux is full of confidence and is not just aiming for minor placings.
“It’s a big challenge for all the crews, but an enjoyable rally with all the spectators who come out to watch every year. I’m really looking forward to it, and after two podiums so far I’m hoping that we can continue in that way!”
The Croatia Rally starts with the shakedown on Thursday. The event concludes on Sunday and includes a total of 20 special stages, covering just over 280 kilometres.
