WRC, Sportrik Media - Adrien Fourmaux has conceded that the start of his 2026 World Rally Championship campaign with Hyundai Motorsport has fallen short of expectations, with both driver and team struggling to match last year’s competitive benchmark.
After departing M-Sport Ford, Fourmaux joined Hyundai anticipating a front-running package. The Korean manufacturer had secured the 2025 drivers’ title with Thierry Neuville and remained in contention for the manufacturers’ crown until the final stage of the season. However, the opening rounds in Monte Carlo and Sweden have highlighted a clear performance deficit.
Fourmaux finished fourth at Rally Monte Carlo but was nearly six minutes adrift of the winning pace. In Sweden, he placed fifth, 1m50s behind rally winner Elfyn Evans. Despite the gap to the front, no Hyundai i20 Rally1 has been quicker than the Frenchman across the first two events, underlining his relative strength within the team.
“We were not where we wanted to be in Sweden,” Fourmaux admitted. “The team is as frustrated as we are. Nobody is happy to finish fifth to seventh as a team. It’s a common feeling, and we need to work to make sure better results come after that.”
Now in his fourth full WRC season at the age of 30, Fourmaux is acutely aware of the balance between patience and opportunity. His frustration remains particularly sharp when reflecting on the missed chance of a maiden WRC victory in Saudi Arabia last November, lost due to a time penalty.
“I just keep my head up and still believe that one day my time will come,” he said.
Fourmaux also acknowledged the different trajectory of his career compared to rivals such as Kalle Rovanperä and Oliver Solberg, both raised in world champion rallying families.
“I’m not born with a father who is world champion like Kalle or Oliver. So I have to discover everything a bit later,” he explained, noting that a decade ago he was still studying medicine before committing fully to rallying.
From a technical standpoint, Fourmaux suggested the evolved 2026-spec Hyundai i20 Rally1 has yet to deliver the expected step forward. He only drove the previous 2024 version twice — Monte Carlo and Kenya — both yielding strong results, including a debut podium and significant Super Sunday points.
“For the new car, for sure, we are a bit struggling,” he said. “I don’t know why. The decisions to evolve the car were made before I arrived, and I don’t want to point at anybody.”
The comments reflect a measured but candid assessment rather than criticism, highlighting the development challenges facing Hyundai early in the season. With the championship calendar still in its infancy, the coming rounds will be critical in determining whether Hyundai can close the performance gap and restore momentum in both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ standings.
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