Will Adrien Fourmaux step into the limelight in Croatia? With new developments to his Ford Fiesta Rally2 ahead of the weekend, why can’t he?
Fourmaux shone on Rally México. Issues with the Fiesta prevented him from doing any better than seventh in WRC2, but it was an upturn in pace after a difficult Monte Carlo Rally where Fourmaux finished fifth, an event where he and M-Sport team-mate Grégoire Munster lacked outright speed.
But now, with a newly homologated differential added to his Ford Fiesta Rally2 for Croatia Rally, and by taking a different approach to setup, Fourmaux believes those changes could put him back in the running for WRC2 victory in Croatia.
“Yes, we try to be a bit more aggressive with the setup of the car,” was Fourmaux’s response when asked by DirtFish if he was going to try anything new in Croatia.
“We have also a new homologated for this rally for the diffs, so we hope to help us for this rally.
“We are using it actually, so let’s see. We are doing our best.
“For sure, the engine development will come later in the season but actually we do our best.”
M-Sport and Fourmaux have been working hard to develop the Fiesta Rally2 this season, as proved by a recent test in Cork, Ireland.
Naturally, Fourmaux will hope that the new developments on his car for Croatia will enable him to be more competitive, but there’s one other aspect that could play an important role too, and that’s strategy.
Fourmaux admits that Croatia is a very different event to Monte Carlo, and with recent rain in the area, tire choices could prove pivotal.
“[It’s] also a different rally, much more difficult I would say compared to Monte Carlo this year where it was still dry,” said Fourmaux.
“Now tire choice will be important at the right time etc. The pacenotes, the confidence in the mud, so it will be a bit different. So let’s see what we can do.
“It’s going to be more about strategy, the tires especially.”
