Adrien Fourmaux will join Hyundai Motorsport driving his third car full-time in the 2025 season of the World Rally Championship. The future of the French driver, five times on the WRC podium, has been the subject of speculation for several months, while he was linked to a move from M-Sport-Ford to the Korean brand.
Fourmaux and his co-driver Alex Coria will be part of an experienced crew which will include the new world champion, Thierry Neuvilleand the 2019 champion, Ott Tanak. It marks a change in strategy for Hyundai's third car, after narrowly losing the manufacturers' title to Toyota this year.
Traditionally, the seat was distributed among several pilots, with Esapekka Lappi, Dani Sordo And Andreas Mikkelsen competing part-time programs in 2024. The future of the three drivers has not yet been confirmed, but Hyundai refused to rule out its continuation in the event of an increase in the number of cars to four for the next campaign.
Fourmaux attracted a lot of attention after an exceptional 2024 M-Sport Ford, of which he has been a part since 2020. This season he has added 45 points more than the total accumulated by the trio in the third Hyundai car.
M-Sport promoted the 29-year-old to its Rally1 class team after spending 2023 competing in Rally2, following a turbulent debut season behind the wheel of a premier WRC class car in 2022.
Fourmaux took his first WRC podium in Sweden, followed by four third places in Kenya, Poland, Finland and Japan, before finishing fifth overall. The Frenchman's move from M-Sport to Hyundai, however, comes of uncertainty over the future of the Korean brand in WRC beyond 2025, following the announcement that will move to the World Endurance Championship under its luxury Genesis brand in 2026.
“I am very happy to join Hyundai Motorsport for the 2025 season. This is a great opportunity for me and Alex, and we can’t wait to get started with the team.” said Fourmaux, who is expected to test an i20 N Rally1 for the first time next week.
“As a driver, you are always looking to develop and challenge yourself, and this seems like the right step at the right time. Hyundai has been very present in WRC for years and I am proud to be part of it in the future. “I’m ready to do my best and see where this journey takes us.”
Hyundai Team Leader Cyril Abitebouladded: “Our third car-sharing approach in 2024 allowed us to offer one of the team's strongest years in WRC, and I would like to sincerely thank Esapekka, Dani and Andreas for their enormous contribution“.
“For the renewed challenges of next year, the consistency and stability of all three cars will be crucial, so we are delighted to confirm Adrien and Alexandre to our team after their incredible 2024 season.” Adrien has impressed not only with the results he has achieved this season, but also with the renewed mentality and attitude he has brought to his return to Rally1.. “We believe our lineup of Thierry, Ott and Adrien will be a formidable force in 2025.”
What Fourmaux's departure means for M-Sport
Fourmaux's departure from M-Sport will force Ford to make changes to its 2025 lineup. The British team is yet to announce its plans for what is expected to be a two-car lineup for next year.
It is understood that Grégoire Munster One of the team's options is to continue in one of their Ford Pumas. Martins Sesks, who impressed the team in three wildcard appearances this year, is on the shortlistwhile the WRC2 drivers Olivier Solberg and Nikolay Gryazin have been linked to the team.
“Things will become clearer in a week or two“, said M-Sport team principal Ricard Millener at Rally Japan.
Lineup of WRC 2025 drivers
Toyota
Kalle Rovanpera/Jonne Halttunen
Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin
Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston
Sami Pajari/Marko Salminen
Sébastien Ogier/Vincent Landais (Part-time)
Hyundai
Thierry Neuville/Martin Wydaeghe
Ott Tanak/Martin Jarveoja
Adrien Fourmaux/Alex Coria
M-Sport-Ford
To be confirmed
To be confirmed
In this article
Tom Howard
WRC
Adrien Fourmaux
Hyundai Motorsport
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