Fourmaux apologises after FIA penalty; Baumel shares update

02/18/2025 06:45 AM

Adrien Fourmaux has apologised after he became the first driver under new FIA regs to get fined for swearing, as Mathieu Baumel shares update after accident.

While describing his run in WRC Rally Sweden, Hyundai’s Fourmaux used ‘fu***d up’ when speaking to media after the end of SS18. He was handed a fine of 10,000 euros straight up, with a suspended 20,000 euros additional fine as per the new FIA ruling.

If he is found using foul language again in the next 12 months, he will have to pay up the additional 20,000 euros. While the ruling has received criticism from fans, Fourmaux has apologised for the same. But his priority was health of Baumel.

Rally-raid driver Baumel was on his way to Monaco for the historic race event when he met with an accident roadside. The four-time Dakar winner shared an update where he revealed about losing his right leg in the accident and injuring his left leg heavily.

He took the decision to get his right leg cut to fit the prosthetic, while he had several surgeries to fix the left one. Despite the shortcoming, Baumel is hoping to return to Dakar in the future, once he is fully fit and declared fit to compete.

“First of all, I’d like to apology about the words I had at the end of last stage,” said Fourmaux. “It’s been an intense week-end, very exhausting and merciless physically and mentally for all of us.But rather than talk again about the rally, I would like to share my support to Mathieu Baumel, friend and member of the rally family. Mathieu I wish you the best recovery possible.

Meanwhile, Baumel stated: “As you know, 15 days ago I was involved in a big, bad incident on the side of the road. A car crashed into another car that crashed into myself unfortunately. I was sent to the hospital, so now I'm still at the hospital, and now 17 days after I can tell you that I feel much better of course, but that I took one big decision, a big decision in my life to cut my right leg. So I will have a new, full carbon system on my new leg but unfortunately it will not be my original leg.

“And I had three different surgeries to try to fix my left leg which should be OK for the future, so I'm working hard to keep everything running well. I am confident, I am also happy to be here in the hospital in Reims because everybody was really taking care of me and they did it really well. I would like also to thank all the people around the world who send me some support, some video messages, some messages on WhatsApp, Instagram.

“Thank you to everybody, it gives you love and power to be ready to face what will happen for the future now. Now I have only one goal: to of course be ready for the next Dakar, to be ready to be on the highest of the classification of course in a top-level car, T1+, and of course to be ready to be again with Guillaume de Mévius. I am really lucky because today in the hospital he is there so this is good.

"I will give you some more information as soon as I have, but now it's time for recovery. It will be long for sure, it will take some weeks, some months but I am again good on my mind and ready to face everything in the future. See you soon I hope in Dakar."

Here’s the video: https://www.instagram.com/p/DGIaVNdoeVO/?hl=en

Here’s how Rally Sweden panned out

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