Adrien Fourmaux will be a Hyundai WRC driver in 2025, the Korean manufacturer has confirmed today.
Adrien Fourmaux has secured a full-time, 14-round, WRC seat at Hyundai Motorsport for the 2025 WRC season. The Frenchman scored five podium finishes in 2024 on his way to P5 in the championship.
Fourmaux becomes team-mates with newly crowned WRC champion Thierry Neuville and 2019 WRC champion Ott Tänak. The team will therefore have three cars with full-time drivers at every event in 2025.
Hyundai has confirmed Fourmaux will join the team immediately after this weekend’s Monza Rally Show “allowing him to begin his preparations with the team for the upcoming 2025 WRC season as early as possible.” This hints that the Frenchman will be behind the wheel of a Hyundai i20 N Rally1 before the end of 2024, with a participation at the Rallye National Hivernal du Dévoluy (13 – 15 December) in France, in the Rallye Monte Carlo region, expected to be announced.
What happens with Sordo, Lappi and Mikkelsen?
Hyundai hasn’t quite denied that it will run four cars at some WRC rallies in 2025. However, programmes for Dani Sordo, Esapekka Lappi and Andreas Mikkelsen were not confirmed today: “Hyundai Motorsport continues to assess further possibilities with its current crews for 2025. Esapekka Lappi’s victory in Rally Sweden, Dani Sordo’s podiums in Sardinia and Greece, and Andreas Mikkelsen’s regular points finishes all contributed to one of the team’s strongest years in WRC,” the team press release read.
Rival Toyota will at least run four cars at every WRC rally in 2025. When Ogier competes as part of his part-time programme, Toyota will run five GR Yaris Rally1 cars.
M-Sport’s WRC 2025 line-up is yet to be confirmed, with no driver announcements as of now.
Adrien Fourmaux said: “I’m really excited to join Hyundai Motorsport for the 2025 season. It’s a big opportunity for me and Alex, and we are looking forward to getting started with the team. As a driver, you’re always looking to grow and push yourself, and this feels like the right step at the right time. Hyundai has had a strong presence in WRC for years, and I’m proud to be a part of that for the future. I’m ready to give my best and see where this journey takes us.”
Abiteboul on three full-time WRC drivers
Hyundai Motorsport President and Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul shared his thoughts on opting to run three full-time driver in 2025: “Our shared third car approach in 2024 allowed us to deliver one of the team’s strongest years in WRC and I would like to sincerely thank Esapekka, Dani and Andreas for their massive contribution to it. For the renewed challenges of next year, consistency and stability across all three cars will be crucial.
“We’re therefore delighted to confirm Adrien and Alexandre as part of our team after their incredible 2024 season. Adrien has impressed not only with the results he has achieved this season, but with his renewed mindset and attitude he has brought to his return to Rally1. We believe our line-up of Thierry, Ott and Adrien will be a formidable force on the world’s stages in 2025.”
Photo: Red Bull Content Pool
