Last season, Fourmaux was gaining experience in the WRC2 class and the British Rally Championship. This year, he returned to the Ford Puma Rally1 car and has shown considerable maturity as a driver.
Fourmaux has not only matured but also improved. This season, the Frenchman has delivered consistent performances and climbed onto the WRC podium for the first time in Sweden in February.
Since then, Fourmaux has secured a total of four podium finishes. Only Sebastien Ogier, who is currently second in the championship standings, has appeared on the podium more frequently this season.
Given these impressive performances, it’s no surprise that other teams have been keeping a close eye on Fourmaux. Neither Fourmaux nor M-Sport faced high expectations before the season started, but the Frenchman has proven to be highly competitive behind the wheel of the Puma.
Fourmaux claimed his most recent third-place finish last weekend in Finland. During the rally, there were whispers in the service park that Hyundai was interested in recruiting the 29-year-old Frenchman for next season.
M-Sport, on the other hand, is doing everything it can to retain Fourmaux.
“Adrien’s had a very good season so far and that means other teams will surely be looking at him. He knows, however, he is the number one (driver) at M-Sport and he cannot get that anywhere else,” M-Sport team principal Richard Millener told DirtFish.
Millener remains optimistic about keeping Fourmaux in the team’s driver lineup. However, the reality is that full-fledged factory teams like Hyundai and Toyota can offer more financially attractive contracts than the privately run M-Sport.
M-Sport is working hard to ensure Fourmaux has a competitive Ford Puma, aiming to keep this season’s sensation satisfied.
“He is an incredible talent and he’s made it clear he wants to gain his first win and, in time, his first championship with M-Sport. We now have to work very hard over the next few months to ensure that we do everything we can to keep him,” Millener emphasised.
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