Hyundai are searching for a third full-time driver for the 2025 World Rally Championship season.
The Korean manufacturer are currently running two full-time drivers in Thierry Neuville and Ott Tanak and have also handed part-time appearances to Dani Sordo, Esapekka Lappi and Andreas Mikkelsen in 2024.
Neuville has been confirmed to be staying at Hyundai for 2025, as the Belgian looks to secure his maiden WRC title with two rallies to go.
Tanak will also be staying on for 2025 as the Estonian sits 29 points behind his teammate in the standings in second. Neuville is looking to avoid an ‘internal battle’ for the title as they hope to hold onto the Manufacturers’ Championship over Toyota.
But despite already having a strong driver pairing, Hyundai are looking to bolster it even further and have had their sights set on a third full-time driver for 2025.
Adrien Fourmaux is ‘on pole’ to become a Hyundai driver in 2025
The driver in question is Adrien Fourmaux, who is currently enjoying his best season to date in WRC with M-Sport.
The Frenchman is currently sat fifth in the standings with 140 points. Fourmaux is targeting a third-place finish this season and is 26 points off of that target with two rallies to go, with Sebastien Ogier sat in that position.
READ MORE: WRC 2025 driver line-up with every team’s confirmed entry for the season
The 29-year-old has scored four podiums this season, finishing third in Sweden, Kenya, Poland and Finland. Fourmaux has finished in the top five in but three rallies this year, finishing fifth last time out at Rally Chile.
Fourmaux has been linked with Hyundai for some time, but the Frenchman has always stayed tight-lipped on the matter. But according to a report from It.Motorsport.com, the 29-year-old is ‘on pole’ to land a seat with the Korean outfit for 2025.
The report states that Fourmaux has ‘pleased the top management of Hyundai for his ability to manage the various phases of the season’, as well as his impressive results across the 2024 season.
With just two rallies left this season, Hyundai are preparing for 2025 and Fourmaux ‘should join the confirmed Neuville and Tanak’ for next season as the Korean outfit are set to shut the door on their part-time drivers.
Adrien Fourmaux would prove a huge loss for M-Sport if his Hyundai move is confirmed
Fourmaux’s move to Hyundai would prove a great addition to the Korean outfit’s squad as he is a driver developing strongly, but it would be a devastating blow to M-Sport.
With the team struggling for funding to keep their operations running, M-Sport have ‘everything riding’ on Fourmaux to provide the results. The Frenchman has done just that with four podiums this season thus far.
Martins Sesks had an ‘audition’ with M-Sport at Rally Chile after his impressive displays at Poland and Latvia. The 25-year-old is tipped for the future and would be a solid option to replace Fourmaux if his move to Hyundai is confirmed.
But it will still not take away the impact of losing the Frenchman, which would put M-Sport under even more pressure to keep their doors open in the WRC.