Before Fourmaux, world champion Ott Tänak and Thierry Neuville had already stopped by Hyundai’s test area. All Hyundai drivers had to settle for mild conditions, with temperatures around zero. For Fourmaux, the situation was the most challenging, as on Thursday, the temperature was several degrees above freezing.
Wintery top conditions were far from reality during Fourmaux’s test day. Hyundai’s WRC team was preparing at their own test area for the World Rally Championship round in Sweden, set to take place in mid-February. It is possible that the Umeå region might also experience above-freezing temperatures, in which case the test conditions for the Frenchman were ideal. However, if the roads are covered with a thick layer of ice and the temperatures are freezing, then the test would not have served its purpose.
Ilkka Lamminsivu, who was photographing Hyundai’s tests for RallyJournal.com, reported on Thursday that Fourmaux spun a few times during his test in the challenging conditions. However, it appears that he did not have any major excursions into the slushy snowbanks of Central Finland.
Teams have plenty to test, as a new tyre manufacturer entered the World Rally Championship this season, with Hankook replacing Pirelli. WRC teams are doing everything they can to ensure that drivers are as well adapted as possible to the new studded tyres before Rally Sweden.
Toyota’s Kalle Rovanperä is competing this weekend in a round of the Finnish Rally Championship in Rovaniemi as a test. The Finnish driver will get to drive two full competition days on Hankook’s new tyres. Conditions in Lapland are more wintery, although the typically high snowbanks of the Arctic Rally are absent this time.
Fourmaux skyrocketed to the top of the rally world last season after securing five podium finishes while driving for M-Sport Ford. His Hyundai career also got off to a fantastic start, as the Frenchman claimed third place at the Monte Carlo Rally last week.
Fourmaux was the best of the Hyundai drivers in Monte, giving his confidence a significant boost right at the season opener. The French driver has fond memories of Rally Sweden from last season, as he finished third in the event—securing the first podium of his career.
