Stephane Sarrazin says it’s vital that he drives without error on Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo if he is to mount a bid for victory on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge opener next week.

Works Peugeot driver Sarrazin, 34, finished third last season but could have won had he not got stuck in a snow bank for four minutes on the fourth stage of the event before losing further time when he crashed on the final leg.

An asphalt specialist, Sarrazin is expected to be a contender for victory on this year’s event, which starts from the French city of Valence next Tuesday.

“I was competitive last year in the snow and on the clear asphalt, but it takes more than that to win the Monte Carlo,” said Sarrazin. “Not only do you need to be quick, but you also need to keep clear of the many pitfalls it can throw at you from start to finish. Just once I failed to evaluate correctly the amount of grip I would have and that was enough to put me out of the fight for top spot.”