What will M-Sport look like in 2024?

Before wondering about the look that the team could have in 2024, we must not rule out the possibility that M-Sport be absent from the next season. The concerns that exist have not all been resolved and the championship could only welcome Toyota et Hyundai. For several months, the English have been exploring the new path of rally-raid. Can she overshadow the WRC to the point of becoming the main activity? If Ford pushes in this direction by putting the necessary budget into it, will the Ranger T1s supplant the Puma Rally1s in Malcolm Wilson's scale of priorities? Referring to what happened with Bentley, it would not be the first time that this entity juggles two different programs and disciplines like raid or WRC can coexist. The door is far from closed.

Starting from the premise that M-Sport will be there at the start of Monte-Carlo 2024 (January 25-28), the question of crews still remains to be resolved. At the end of the season, Richard Millener insisted that the team would not be able to recruit a top driver to replace Thank you and that it should focus on hopes. This did not prevent M-Sport from making an offer to Andreas Mikkelsen who, at 34, no longer falls into this category. The Norwegian preferred to decline to sign with Hyundai.

His decision probably ended the possibility of seeing Adrien fourmaux continue his career there. The Frenchman was one of the names that the English team manager mentioned most often when he spoke of “young people”. If the Northerner were to be on the trip, what would his program be? Should he juggle between the Puma and the Fiesta or would he have a commitment for the entire season? If Adrien is at the center of the project, which team member can M-Sport add to him?

Can the solution come from one-off participations with Grégoire Munster in some races, the Chilean Alberto Heller in others and one or more competitors in addition? Recruiting a novice on this floor would be a laudable initiative, but who has enough potential to fill this role? Someone like Emil Lindholm would be a good candidate, but will he leave Hyundai? Fergus Greensmith no longer fits the rookie profile, but could he be interested in a return? By sharing between the Puma and the Fiesta, the Englishman can find what he's looking for. Finally, the name of Oliver Solberg has often come up with contradictory information. Some claimed that Red Bull would reduce his budget and that this would allow the Swede to race in his Monster colors. Other voices, however, indicated exactly the opposite, that is to say that Oliver could not land at M-Sport because of these sponsor conflicts. Christmas is approaching, will Malcolm Wilson be able to give a nice gift to a hopeful in the making or on the contrary will the Englishman receive gifts important enough to line up an interesting line-up for 2024?

ALSO READ > Cyril Abiteboul new president of Hyundai Motorsport