Mads eyes new car for Sweden
Norwegian moves up to 2015-specification DS 3 next month
Prevot impressed by Lefebvre's star quality
WRC2 rising star Stephane Lefebvre has been tipped for the top by his co-driver Stephane Prevot after a winning performance at Rallye Monte-Carlo.
Lefebvre, 22, has graduated to WRC2 after winning last year’s Junior WRC and began his campaign last weekend at the wheel of a DS 3 R5.
On his first tarmac rally in the car, the Frenchman led from beginning to end, winning by more than two minutes after rival Martin Koci broke a driveshaft on the penultimate day.
Lefebvre’s performance impressed Prevot, who began working with him at Wales Rally GB. One of the most experienced co-drivers in the business, Prevot has partnered factory drivers including Bruno Thiery, Francois Duval and Chris Atkinson in a career that stretches back 25 years.
Prevot told wrc.com that he had recognised some familiar traits in his new team-mate. “He’s got a bit from here and there,” he said. “There is some kind of natural talent there like Duval. Maybe he’s not quite as good just yet, but he has the same ability to just get in any car and drive it well. He also has some of the cleverness from Atkinson. Some drivers I have worked with think ‘I’m able to drive fine like this, and that’s enough,’ but Stephane wants more - he knows and understands that he has to improve - that’s why I’m quite happy."
Prevot believes pace notes are key to unlocking more of Lefebvre’s potential. “He has the talent, but he has to improve to develop his speed, and part of that is down to better pace notes and making the most of the recce. I think he only recently understood how important pace notes are,” he said.
“For now everything is like new to him, but he understands what he is missing and is working hard to improve. Next we have Sweden, and the first time for him on snow and these tyres, then we’re on to gravel and building experience there.”
With continued progress on the loose, Prevot believes Lefebvre has the potential to be a future world champion “Okay, it’s very early days, and he needs to do more gravel, but based on his tarmac he’ll be there,” he added.
