Adrien Fourmaux Keeps Title Faith Alive After Monte Carlo

WRC, Sportrik Media - Adrien Fourmaux gave a clear and confident answer when asked whether he still believes 2026 can be a championship-contending season in the World Rally Championship, despite missing out on a maiden victory at the Rally Monte Carlo.

The Hyundai driver arrived in Monte Carlo believing the season opener could finally deliver his first WRC win. Reality, however, capped his potential result at fourth place, the maximum realistically available amid the pace advantage shown by Toyota.

Even so, Fourmaux made it clear that Monte Carlo has not altered his outlook for the year ahead, particularly with a calendar that will soon shift away from tarmac-heavy challenges.

Yes.
Yes, because I know that on gravel and on snow it’s going to be fine.

Attention then turned to tarmac performance, widely considered the current weakness of Hyundai’s i20 N Rally1. Fourmaux suggested that dry conditions would be key in properly assessing the car’s true potential.

If Japan and Canarias are dry, it should be OK.
We saw in Japan last year that we made a big step with the car, and I was quite satisfied.

Until the rain came, we were third and setting some really good fastest times.
So I’m quite confident, because the black beast of this car is tarmac.

For everything else, I’m quite confident we can do something good with it.

Despite Hyundai’s overall deficit to Toyota in Monte Carlo, Fourmaux salvaged a strong haul of points, particularly on Sunday, where only Elfyn Evans scored more. His sole frustration came on the Power Stage, where a narrow loss to Sebastien Ogier cost him an additional bonus point.

I’m sure I could have got those eight tenths.
But the road was evolving so much.

Fourmaux now heads to Rally Sweden 13 points behind early championship leader Oliver Solberg, starting third on the road. Ogier, absent from Sweden, sits one point ahead of him, while team-mate Thierry Neuville is a further seven points adrift.

Last year I was second on the road in Sweden and still fighting.
It will all depend on the conditions.

If it’s like last year with a solid ice base, starting in front was good.
But if it’s more normal, with fresh snow, then for sure starting later is better.

That scenario may not favour Fourmaux directly, but it could benefit Hyundai’s wider strategy.

EP will be in a good position.

The reference was to team-mate Esapekka Lappi, who is expected to benefit from a later road position. For Fourmaux, Sweden will provide an early test of whether his confidence in challenging for the 2026 WRC title can be translated into results on snow.