Adrien Fourmaux was the unfortunate protagonist of the first accident in competition of the hybrid era of the WRC. Barely three stages of the Monte Carlo Rally had elapsed when the French driver made a miscalculation and hit the inside of one of the SS3 corners so unluckily that the Ford Puma Rally1 was catapulted over the guardrail off the outside of the next corner, causing the car to land in a ravine. In its fall, the vehicle was totally destroyed..
Although Fourmaux and his co-driver Alexandre Coria emerged from the accident completely unharmed, damage to the Ford Puma Rally1 prevented the 26-year-old driver from rejoining the event on the following day. In fact, the M-Sport mechanics and engineers made the decision to ‘forget’ Adrien’s crashed chassis, given the damage they found it quicker to build an entirely new chassis and transfer the transmission and engine of the damaged unit to this new car to repair the Ford Puma Rally1 that was involved in this mishap.
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Despite the decision to take this ‘shortcut’, Adrien Fourmaux wanted to show his commitment to M-Sport and The Frenchman has traveled from his native country to the United Kingdom to help the staff of the Cumbrian preparer in the construction of his new Ford Puma Rally1. A sample of how involved Adrien is in the M-Sport project after managing to shape his first full-time project in the premier class of the World Rally Championship, a program that will see him compete in Rally Sweden at the end of the month .
Own Adrien Fourmaux He wanted to emphasize the importance of being with the M-Sport mechanics and lending his help in the construction of this new Ford Puma Rally1: «It was very important for me to come to the M-Sport headquarters to support and help the boys.. I want to show that I am not only here, in the team, in the rallies and that precisely we have the option of working as a team. What’s more, this experience allows me to get to know the car a little better».
Along these lines, the talented French driver added: «The boys have worked hard to build four cars before Christmasso it was really disappointing for me and them to see my car destroyed in Monte Carlo. I wanted to help. We have been working on rebuilding the hybrid drive and cooling system. Also the crossbars and arms of the car’s suspension and the engine compartment. Now I understand a little better how our car has been designed».