On Thursday, it was revealed that M-Sport would lose its top driver from the past season, Adrien Fourmaux, to Hyundai. Fourmaux had a breakthrough year in the WRC, claiming five podium finishes in total.
Fourmaux spent five seasons with M-Sport across various levels. As for next year, M-Sport does not currently have a contract with any driver. According to Millener, the team is not looking to sign a “big name.” Instead, the privateer outfit plans to continue offering a seat to a young driver who can bring substantial financial backing.
The top choice is to continue with Grégoire Munster. The Luxembourger completed his first full season in the WRC’s top class this year but failed to impress with his results. Munster has been financially supported by Jourdan Serderidis, a Greek-Belgian businessman who also competes as a driver.
“We’re working through options right now. Of course it’s disappointing when a driver like Adrien moves on, but we have to be pragmatic about it and I can understand his position. For us, we’re looking to the future,” Millener told Dirtfish.
“We know there are some very, very talented drivers out there who are totally deserving of an opportunity and they’re the drivers we’re looking toward. As I said to you before, Grég (Munster) is a target for us. We want to keep him. We’ve worked with him and invested in him for a full year and seen some real progress. We will keep talking to him and see what we can do for 2025.”
While M-Sport cannot afford to sign a high-profile driver with a hefty price tag, Millener highlighted the team’s legacy. Many drivers who began their careers with the British outfit have risen to the top of the sport.
“I think everybody knows M-Sport has a great history of developing drivers, with Petter (Solberg), Mikko Hirvonen, Jari-Matti (Latvala) and, of course Adrien as the latest. We will continue that trend,” Millener concluded.
