M-Sport’s driver line-up for the 2025 World Rally Championship is “totally up in the air” as speculation mounts around the future of its current lead driver Adrien Fourmaux.

The Ford squad often makes its moves in the driver market late into the year and this season is no different as it plans to field two Ford Puma Rally1 cars next year.

The decision to promote Fourmaux back to its Rally1 programme this year after his 2023 season in Rally2 has paid dividends, with the Frenchman reeling off eight top-five finishes including four podiums (Sweden, Kenya, Poland and Finland).

The run has seen the Frenchman amass only six points fewer than Ott Tanak’s 2023 tally at this stage of the campaign, having replaced the 2019 world champion this year.

Fourmaux’s impressive rise has made the 29-year-old a valuable commodity in the service park, with the 2023 British rally champion linked with a move to Hyundai to pilot the Korean marque’s third car for next season.

When asked about his team’s 2025 plans, M-Sport’s team principal Richard Millener maintains that “nothing has been signed with anybody” at the minute.

“It is totally up in the air and nothing is signed with anybody, all options on the table as usual for M-Sport at this point in the year,” Millener told Motorsport.com. “We want the strongest possible team we can get for two cars for next year and that is the goal and what we continue to push on.”

Adrien Fourmaux, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team

Photo by: M-Sport

Advertisement

The team wishes to agree a new deal with Fourmaux and has not given up on retaining his services. However, should it need to look elsewhere the squad appears to have a shortlist of options to fill its two seats.

Its other full-time driver Gregoire Munster delivered arguably his best Rally1 performance to date in Chile, where he ran as high as fourth, matching stage times at the top of the leaderboard, before finishing seventh.

The performance arrived after a inconsistent campaign to date which could bode well for his future, although Millener says the Luxembourger should remain focused on the final two rallies of the season.

“He just needs to concentrate on one rally at a time now. He shouldn’t be thinking about how he makes sure he gets a drive next year,” added Millener. “It needs to be a case of just doing the best he can on each rally and see what comes at the end of the year.”

Another driver that M-Sport is keeping an eye on is Martins Sesks following his trio of Rally1 outings with the team. The 25-year-old’s drives to fifth in Poland, followed by a podium challenge in Latvia before a mechanical issue struck, has turned heads.

Sesks admitted after his latest outing in Chile that he was unsure where his future lay.

“Like he says, he doesn’t know what is next and I don’t know what is next, there is a lot up in the air but it was good to give him that opportunity as well and now we need to see what happens in the next few weeks,” said Millener.

Outside of those two drivers, Motorsport.com expects WRC2 title contenders Oliver Solberg and Yohan Rossel to be on the team’s 2025 driver shortlist.

A HUMBLE stable lad is on the brink of becoming a millionaire – if his bargain basement horse can land a ‘massive’ gamble at Ascot.

Trainer Dylan Cunha’s four-year-old colt Prague has been one of the stars of the season.

2

2

Advertisement

Previously trained by Aidan O’Brien and owned by the all-conquering Coolmore group, his incredible rags-to-riches run has seen him go from handicapper to Group 2 winner in just five runs.

THE SUN RACING MEMBERS ENCLOSURE

The only place to get Templegate’s tips first – and at the best prices – is by joining Sun Racing’s brilliant Members Enclosure.

Sign up now for just £1* to be part of racing’s best winning team and get…

• Four free racing tickets, four times a year – worth £300
• Templegate’s daily tips at the BEST prices before anyone else
• Tomorrow’s copy of The Favourite at 9pm today
• Exclusive insights from Andrew Balding and Hayley Turner
• VIP competitions from Racing Breaks each month
• New customer offer with Coral

Become a member today for just £1*

*For the first month then £3 per month thereafter.

Advertisement

SIGN UP NOW

18+ Ts and Cs apply. First month membership £1, then £3 per month unless you cancel at least 7 days before your next billing date. For more information contact help@thesun.co.uk

And his remarkable progress has come while under the ownership of unheralded Amedeo Dal Pos, who bought the son of Galileo for just £10,500.

Dal Pos is head lad to Newmarket-based Cunha.

It’s fair to say he’s hardly living the millionaire lifestyle under the up-and-coming trainer – but he could soon be thanks to his star colt.

Dal Pos, who is listed as the sole owner of Prague, has paid a staggering £70,000 supplementary fee so he can run in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day at Ascot.

He used some of the £114,000 Prague has won so far in his career to cover the cost.

Bookies make Prague an 8-1 chance for the mile race currently headed by 5-4 market leader Charyn.

Victory in the prestigous contest is worth a shade over £655,709.

But, as ever with top Flat horses, it’s the prospect of what they could achieve at stud that the money really starts racking up.

If Prague wins he’ll be in high demand as a stallion, given he would stand as a Group 1 winner proven over a mile at Ascot and Newmarket.

Cunha told The Mirror: “It’s a massive gamble for him, isn’t it?

“If the horse wins he is worth a few million being a Galileo colt, but if he loses the whole £70,000 is gone and the whole horse’s value is gone.

“But Amedeo has confidence in the horse.

“He rides him every day and when he galloped him on Saturday he had the biggest smile on his face. It’s all in the stars now.

“The horse is on the up, he is going to get his ground.

“You may never get the chance in your life again. I think you’ve got to go for it.

“I look at it like this. You pay £10,000 for the horse. You can now say you paid £80,000 for the horse and it’s running in a Group 1. That’s not a bad little purchase.”

Not bad – but it could be about to get so much better on Saturday.

Dal Pos wouldn’t be the first stable lad to strike it rich.

Nicky Henderson’s former yard worker Conor Murphy landed a £3m Cheltenham Festival punt.

Bookies’ max payout rules meant he only actually took home £1m… but it was still enough to quit his job and start a new life in the States.

FREE BETS – GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS

Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org.

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chases their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

Ex-England captain Steph Houghton feels Arsenal’s “philosophy” was “worrying” in their recent defeats by Chelsea and Bayern Munich.

Houghton was speaking to Mark Chapman on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club, before it was announced the following morning that Gunners boss Jonas Eidevall had resigned.

READ MORE: Eidevall resigns as Arsenal head coach

Listen to the best bits of the Monday Night Club in the Football Daily podcast.

REYES CUP action is finally UNDERWAY as Team Europe and Team Asia battle it out in an epic four-day competition.

Jayson Shaw will be determined to lead Europe to victory while Asia are hoping Johann Chua can be their driving force.

But one player who can only watch on from the sidelines is reigning world champion Joshua Filler due to ‘concerns over contractual obligations’

BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS

Follow ALL the action from the Reyes Cup with our live blog below…

Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills overcame a Hail Mary touchdown throw by Aaron Rodgers as the first half ended to outlast the New York Jets 23-20 on Monday night and take control of the AFC East.

Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score and Tyler Bass made up for an earlier miss by kicking a go-ahead 22-yard field goal with 3:43 left to help the Bills (4-2) snap a two-game skid. They have never lost three straight with Allen starting at quarterback.

The loss was the third in a row for the Jets (2-4), who capped a tumultuous week during which coach Robert Saleh was fired, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich replaced him as the interim coach and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was demoted from play-calling duties in favor of Todd Downing.

Normally reliable kicker Greg Zuerlein missed two potential go-ahead field goals for the Jets, hitting the left upright on both.

The game was filled with yellow penalty flags all night — both teams had 11 penalties.

Allen finished 19-of-25 for 215 yards. Rookie Ray Davis, filling in for the injured James Cook, ran for 97 yards on 20 carries and caught three passes for 55 yards.

With the Jets trailing 23-20, Rodgers threw deep for Mike Williams but the pass was short and Taron Johnson — back after breaking his right forearm in the season opener — came up with the interception.

Allen and the Bills were able to then run out the clock and seal the win. They are the only team in the division with a winning record.

Rodgers was 23-of-35 for 294 yards with two touchdowns and the INT, and Breece Hall had 113 yards rushing and 56 receiving.

Rodgers’ deep throw on the final play of the opening half had the Jets, their fans — and social media — buzzing.

With the Jets at their own 48 and perhaps hoping to get into field goal range before halftime, Rodgers took a few steps back and danced around a bit before launching the ball toward the end zone. Allen Lazard reached up in front of two Bills defenders and fell on his back.

After a quick huddle, officials ruled it a touchdown.

The Jets got in an early rhythm on offense with Downing calling the plays as Rodgers got New York into the red zone. A drop by Hall on third down made the Jets settle for a 34-yard field goal by Zuerlein — New York’s first points on an opening drive this season.

Buffalo bounced back by running all over New York’s defense, gashing Ulbrich’s unit for 61 yards rushing — including 48 on six carries by Davis — and capping the Bills’ opening drive with a 1-yard keeper by Allen to make it 7-3.

Allen’s 56th career TD run put him one behind O.J. Simpson for second in franchise history.

Garrett Wilson gave the Jets back the lead on their next drive, capping things by catching a 5-yard pass from Rodgers in the back of the end zone and getting both feet down on a play that was initially ruled incomplete but reversed on video replay before Ulbrich needed to challenge.

Allen led the Bills on a 90-yard drive to give Buffalo back the lead, capped by an 8-yard TD pass to Mack Hollins. Quinnen Williams got his hand on Bass’ extra point try that sailed wide left.

Allen sparked the drive when he danced out of the end zone, scrambled to his right and threw across his body down the middle of the field where Davis got his hands on the ball, bobbled it and came down with it for a 42-yard catch.

Allen’s second touchdown pass was a 12-yard throw to Dawson Knox with 21 seconds remaining before halftime to put Buffalo up 20-10.

Bass missed another kick on Buffalo’s opening drive of the second half, pushing a 47-yarder wide right.

Zuerlein tied it at 20 with a 22-yarder midway through the third quarter.

The Jets appeared to take the lead late on their next possession when Braelon Allen ran up the middle from 4 yards out, but left tackle Tyron Smith was called for holding. Rodgers connected with Wilson in the back of the end zone on the next play, but the wide receiver couldn’t hold onto the ball after being walloped by Damar Hamlin and Taylor Rapp.

Zuerlein then hit the left upright on a 32-yard attempt to keep the game tied. He also missed a potential go-ahead 43-yarder with 9:44 left in the fourth quarter, hitting the upright again.

Injuries

Jets S Chuck Clark was ruled out in the second quarter with an ankle injury. … CB D.J. Reed left in the third quarter with an injured groin.

Up next

Bills: Host Tennessee on Sunday.

Jets: Play at Pittsburgh on Sunday night.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

[Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]

Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more