M-Sport unveils new WRC squad

Ford’s M-Sport squad has revealed the new look Rally1 line up that will spearhead its 2024 FIA World Rally Championship campaign.

After the sudden departure of Ott Tanak, M-Sport will be led by Adrien Fourmaux and Gregoire Munster.

Fourmaux will return to a full-time role in the WRC after being a lead M-Sport driver in 2022, only to lose the seat this year.

His one and only WRC Rally1 campaign proved to be a challenging one, being 16th in the championship with four retirements from the first five races.

But after two P8 finishes at the Finnish and European rallies in a Ford Fiesta Rally2 machine this year, M-Sport showed Fourmaux is still in its plans by giving him a Rally1 berth in the Japan finale.

Next year the 28-year-old Frenchman will be back in the main game with co-driver Alex Coria and wants to make the most of the opportunity.

“I’m very happy to be back in Rally1 for 2024,” said Fourmaux.

“Achieving this drive was the main goal of the 2023 season and I’m thrilled to return for a full season in the Puma next year.

“I’m grateful to M-Sport, Ford and Red Bull for having the confidence and trust in me to give me another year at the top level and allow me to show my capabilities.

“I’ve enjoyed being part of the development of the Fiesta Rally2 in 2023, and I think this will help me for the upcoming season with the Rally1 car.

“It will be a very interesting season for everybody, especially with the new regulations and points system.

“We’ve got a proper plan to work hard and deliver the best results we can, to support the team and get it back to where it deserves to be.

“I’m also very proud to be the only French driver competing the full season at the top level of WRC.”

Munster will step up to the top level in WRC after making his Rally1 debut with M-Sport at the 2023 Rally Chile.

The Belgian spent four years and 20 Rally2 starts before the opportunity arrived.

In just his second rally in Europe Munster impressed to finish seventh in Europe and will now enjoy an entire WRC Rally1 season where he will continue to have co-driver Louis Louka by his side.

“Driving almost the full season in WRC2 in 2023 has been a big positive, it’s the first time I had the chance to do nearly all the WRC events and get the mileage,” said Munster.

“The two drives in the Puma have helped me a lot with getting prepared for the Rally1 drive in 2024.

“Working within the M-Sport team has also been incredibly useful, you see the WRC2 and Rally1 team all within the same structure, so it’s good preparation for Rally1 to feel familiar and at home.

“I’m eager to start in Monte-Carlo, and the goal for 2024 will be first to get some good results and increase the pace rally after rally, try not to make any mistakes and just get all the experience.

“We’re driving against world champions, so it will be a big challenge but I’m really looking forward to it.”

M-Sport Team Principal Richard Millener believes the new and young line-up can be a force in 2024.

“Developing and helping young talent prove themselves is an exciting way to tackle a WRC season, and with several of the top drivers not competing across the full championship we have opportunities to put in some strong and surprising performances,” said Millener.

“We still have all the ingredients to deliver results and the team is motivated to start again in a few weeks’ time with an almost blank paper on what we can achieve.”

The 2024 WRC season begins with Rallye Monte-Carlo on January 25-28.

Photo by Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool

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