Lucas, what drew you to motorsport ?
It mainly comes from my father. My maternal grandfather loved cars and had competed humbly in a few small endurance rallies. My father got into off-road rallying, initially in a 4x4. He competed in the superb French Off-Road Championship for many years, winning a national title. It’s an environment I’ve always known, even though it didn’t particularly appeal to me at first. My older brother and I used to go with him to the races, and they were often in the garage tinkering together. As for me, I especially enjoyed the atmosphere and the races. I was already fascinated by everything to do with driving, mainly through video games.

What was the turning point ?
In 2017, my dad gave us a small rear-wheel-drive Tomahawk buggy equipped with a motorcycle engine and a sequential gearbox. It was a very light car with nearly 200 horsepower. My brother did a few rallies first, then it was my turn. We finished on the two-wheel drive podium in my maiden race. We scored three podiums in as many starts, behind the championship regulars. That’s when I fell in love with the thrill and everything that this world represents. I was even named ’Rookie of the Year’ and had the opportunity to race my father’s four-wheel drive buggy. My brother and I also got a taste of circuit racing at the Pau Grand Prix with a Legend Car. As natives of Pau, it was a dream come true and a privilege to drive on this legendary track, where the great names of Formula 1 have raced.

And yet, you then moved on to “ traditional” rallying…
In the meantime, I had a go at the Rallye Jeunes programme. I tried my luck twice, failing each time in the second phase of selection for hitting cones. Nevertheless, I followed the WRC closely, practised on the simulator, and felt that I had to try something. So I put together a small programme with my own money and a few partners, and I entered the French Junior Rally Championship at the Rallye du Touquet.

A very promising debut rally...
Yes. At the end of the opening day, we posted the third-best time. There were some impressive drivers at the start : Léo Rossel, Tom Pieri, Florent Todeschini... I was made very welcome by the ARL Sport team in the community. My off-road experience gave me some knowledge, but I needed to find a note-taking system that suited me. I also discovered several things, such as black ice. I learned all this as I went along. The final result was a bit compromised by a small mistake in the tricky conditions at Le Touquet, but my desire was stronger than ever. Then I entered Rallye Terre de Lozère, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and Rallye Cœur de France. Unfortunately, a big crash ended my season there.

How did you cope following your accident at Cœur de France ?
It wasn’t very easy. I made the mistake that is easy to make when you have stars in your eyes in this world. I didn’t get into debt, but I couldn’t afford to continue without partners. I was lucky enough to race off-road occasionally thanks to Daniel Favy, a former competitor of my father’s. It was a real breath of fresh air because it was so frustrating to see each season start without being able to be there. At the same time, Dart Racing invited me to test-drive Clio Rally5 with the idea of competing in the Clio Trophy France Asphalte. Despite all our efforts, we didn’t make it, but I immediately felt comfortable behind the wheel. In 2023, I also discovered the Minerva Academy, founded by Bernard Piallat and Jean-Charles Beaubelique. I wasn’t accepted the first year. After some hesitation, I tried again the following year, and Bernard called me the next day to tell me I had been selected.

In sporting terms, your 2024 season was very successful...
Yes. Daniel’s daughter Clémence was my co-driver. It happened naturally after our off-road experiences. With its reasonable budgets and prizes, the Clio Trophy France Asphalte was ideal to make a serious comeback, especially as we had half a day of testing before each rally with the Minerva Academy. And we finished third overall, best rookies, and second in the Junior category behind Arthur Pelamourgues. That was what I had hoped for, and we learned a lot. We were also able to develop our setups, understand the car and progress mentally. This season allowed us to lay a solid foundation for the future.

However, 2025 got off to a difficult start...
We had quite ambitious goals after 2024. Unfortunately, we got caught by some bumps on a downhill section at the Rallye Rhône-Charbonnières. The damage forced us to cut short the first day before setting off again the next day. Then we sustained two punctures at Rouergue, which threw us off the pace. After that, we regrouped with the team before Mont-Blanc.

And that’s where everything changed...
Right from the tests, we felt terrific. We approached Mont Blanc as if we were still in contention. I was very well supported, and there was great synergy. We took the lead without pushing too hard until we had a puncture in SS12. That knocked us back a bit, but the performance was there, and the dynamic changed completely. We tried to forget about the overall classification to focus on the Junior category at Cœur de France, then came the high-coefficient season finale at Rallye du Var.

What was your strategy for winning the Junior title ?
The psychological challenge was huge with so many points and so much at stake. The idea was to gauge the situation over the first four special stages, where no performer points were on offer, then increase the pace a bit without putting ourselves under too much pressure. But even when Tom and Paul unfortunately went off the road, we had to stay focused and clever as there were so many hazards. I think back to arriving on oil left by a competitor, or all the cuts where we could have punctured. Pace management is a different exercise. I was so in my own world that I only realised it on the liaison to Sainte-Maxime. I felt incredibly light and proud. Even though we’ve been in the Clio Trophy France Asphalte for two years, I’d plan to do something in feeder series for the last five or seven years.

What would you say are your main strengths and areas for improvement ?
I’m very disciplined in my preparation. I work year-round with a coach, and my job as a ski instructor also helps keep me sharp. I try to stay in good physical shape as I believe it’s one of the keys to feeling mentally strong. I also spend a lot of time on the simulator. Behind the wheel, I think my driving is quite clean and fluid, which helps me look after the car. That said, I know I still have a lot to learn, especially when it comes to setup work, continuously improving my pace notes, and the mechanical side of things, which I’d really like to explore further. And when I look at my performance in the few rallies where I have some experience, it makes me feel confident that we can keep making solid progress.

How did Ewen contribute to this success ?
Ewen joined me at Rouergue. Like me, he doesn’t have much experience in the sport, but we share the same desire to reach the top. He is exceptionally talented, and he will have a great career no matter what. Guillaume Mercoiret coached him, and he works very hard. He doesn’t overlook any details, constantly questions himself and analyses everything possible. His calmness in the cockpit has also been a great strength for me.

What do you hope for the future ?
My goal is simple : to drive and perform at my best while proudly representing the official colours and everyone who contributed to this project. I would particularly like to thank Minerva Oil and PH Sport. Without their support and that of my partners, I would never have been able to compete in these two seasons in such good conditions. My dream is to keep performing well, to make this adventure last as long as possible, and to build a tangible legacy.

Any last words ?
You must never stop believing and stay the course, even when doubts take over. That’s what I’ve tried to do, and just getting here is already a fulfilment in itself. I had the opportunity to meet Olivier David at the awards ceremony, as his team, David Auto Compétition, will service my car next year. I think we share the same values and that we are both transparent people. We both want to do well while writing the next chapter.