Fourmaux burst onto the scene last season, achieving five podium finishes with M-Sport Ford. Expectations for the French driver weren’t particularly high, but he proved his talent and ability to take a significant step forward.
Now, Fourmaux has the backing of a fully-fledged factory team and its resources. Hyundai has announced that all three of its drivers will start the season on equal footing, but it’s clear that Fourmaux ranks third in the pecking order behind the team’s star drivers, Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak.
This weekend’s Rally Monte Carlo is almost a home event for the French driver, but he is well aware of the challenges the event presents. Last year, Fourmaux finished fifth in Monte, and he has twice scored points in the Alps with a Rally2 car.
“My first round in the World Rally Championship was at Rallye Monte-Carlo, and I was able to score my first ever championship points there, so it holds good memories for me,” Fourmaux reminisces about his 2019 debut.
“Saying this, it’s the most difficult rally of the year because of the conditions. It’s hard to describe the feeling here, it’s really something special.”
Fourmaux also has less pleasant memories of the iconic rally. In 2022, he crashed his Ford Puma heavily off the road on the opening morning. This year, his goals for the season opener are modest, but he’s not planning to play it completely safe.
“We work closely with the team on what tyres we need to take, sometimes considering what will be the fastest for the loop and rather than for the stage. For me, my aim in Monte-Carlo is to help the team as much as possible with the manufacturers’, but I also know I need a tidy start to make sure I score some points for the start of my championship,” Fourmaux explains.
“It’s like a home event for me, with a lot of stages in France, so to do well here would mean a lot to me.”
The Rally Monte Carlo begins on Thursday evening with three stages run in the dark. The event concludes on Sunday.
