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December 17, 2026 — Adrien Fourmaux has left the door open to a Ford return as he weighs his next World Rally Championship move, insisting he's open to every project while the 2027 entry deadline looms. The Frenchman's two-season Hyundai contract wraps up without a 2027 ride, making him the most natural candidate to lead Ford's factory comeback in 2028.
Entries for the Monte Carlo season opener close this Sunday, December 20 — but Fourmaux isn't treating that as a hard barrier to negotiation. "I'm just very open," he told DirtFish. "When you don't have any drive for next year, you are looking into every project actually. I will take my time to take the decision."
Asked whether he was working to a self-imposed deadline, he replied: "Monte Carlo? That's all."
Ford made its intentions clear in Sardinia: it will return to the WRC as a factory presence in 2028, with a brand-new car following in 2029. The scale and timing of that commitment put Fourmaux at the center of immediate paddock speculation, and it's easy to see why.
He spent five seasons at M-Sport before moving to Hyundai, knows Dovenby Hall inside out, and built close working relationships with the team's engineering group. At a moment when Ford needs to construct an entirely new top-level package from the ground up, that combination of institutional memory and technical trust is difficult to replicate.
M-Sport and Ford Racing declined to name any driver at the Sardinia announcement. But team principal Richard Millener did not hide where his priorities sit.
"Our biggest hole at the moment is having that top-level driver that we need in order to start development of new car and to help build the team," Millener said. "Then [we would] use either mixtures of existing younger drivers or new younger drivers or someone we haven't even thought of yet. The whole topic is very open. There is absolutely zero decisions made at this time."
Fourmaux's availability wasn't part of anyone's original plan. When he signed with Hyundai two seasons ago, the expectation was a stable competitive future. Instead, Hyundai has elected to step back from top-level competition in 2027 and focus on re-homologating its i20 N Rally2, leaving the Frenchman's contract to expire at precisely the wrong moment.
Hyundai's retreat also thins an already fragile manufacturer field. Ford's 2028 pledge is a much-needed show of confidence, but the gap between now and then remains tricky to navigate for every team involved.
His two years at the Korean manufacturer produced some bright performances, yet the team's strategic decision means he's hunting for a new seat earlier than he anticipated. His stated direction is crystal clear: get back into Rally1 machinery as soon as possible.
"My target is really going back as soon as possible with a Rally1 car, that's my target," Fourmaux said. "I can accept one year with a slower car but I really want to go back."
For 2027, the list of confirmed full-season top-level teams is remarkably short. Toyota will run a full campaign and is in active discussions with two-time world champion Kalle Rovanperä about a return; Ott Tänak is already locked in as the lead development driver for Toyota's new 2027 car. Project Rally One and WRT Rally1 Spain are building 2027-spec Rally1 machinery, but neither committed to a full season in 2026.
That leaves Toyota and Ford as the only certain full-time employers in top-level machinery. Toyota's seats are effectively accounted for, with Rovanperä's decision the only real variable. Ford, conversely, has an open slate, a glaring hole at the top of its lineup, and a clear requirement for someone who can help shape a future factory car.
Fourmaux's engineering pedigree could be the decisive edge. During his earlier spell at M-Sport, he played a central role in steering the development of the Fiesta Rally2 upgrade package released after his departure. Team engineers remember him as a driver who delivers detailed, actionable feedback — not just raw pace.
M-Sport's 2026 roster offers no obvious internal successor. Josh McErlean and Jon Armstrong completed full seasons in Ford Puma Rally1s without securing 2027 deals. Mārtiņš Sesks, who impressed on selected gravel rounds, also holds no contract. Romet Jürgenson, the 2024 Junior WRC champion, turned heads during a partial Fiesta Rally2 campaign that included a best WRC2 finish of fifth in Finland.
None of those options brings the leadership profile Fourmaux offers. Millener needs an anchor driver, someone who can steady the team, help recruit around him, and steer development as Ford prepares its 2028 works return. Fourmaux is the one available candidate who ticks every box on that job description.
Sunday's entry deadline does not force Fourmaux into a single car for the entire season — partial Rally1 programs or a WRC2 campaign remain viable routes. But the deadline does push discussions toward a resolution. Signing with M-Sport in time would allow him to begin working with the engineers immediately; waiting could mean a late start to his 2027 season and all the short-notice compromises that follow.
There's also the matter of Ford's timeline. Full works backing begins in 2028, so any 2027 agreement would effectively serve as a bridge year: an opportunity to rebuild relationships, contribute to early development of the 2029 car, and arrive at the factory program fully prepared.
Fourmaux has every reason to hold out for the ideal project. But he also recognizes that only two full-time top-level options exist, and one of those has already signaled its need for exactly his skill set.
All the pieces are in place for a Ford-Fourmaux reunion: a manufacturer returning with serious funding, a team hunting for a senior leader, and a proven free agent whose best years lie ahead. Fourmaux's public posture — open, patient, deliberate — suggests he understands the leverage he holds.
"I'm just very open," he insisted, leaving every door unlocked. By Sunday evening, the WRC driver market could be a significant step closer to resolution.
