Stéphane Lefebvre has made a sensational start to his career in the FIA European Rally Championship by edging the two-wheel-drive division after the opening three stages of Rally Liepāja-Ventspils.
The French rising star has never competed on snow and ice before but has excelled in the Peugeot 208 R2 he is using in competition for the first time.
Lefebvre, who has signed up to the Saintéloc Peugeot Rally Academy for four rounds of this year’s ERC, heads Risto Immonen (Citroën C2 R2 Max) by 10.6s with ERC 2WD title leader Hannes Danzinger next up in a Renault Clio R3.
“It has not been easy and I still have to learn because this is my first time driving on the snow,” said Lefebvre, 20. “But I am happy.”