A drive device for driving a helical fiber sheet for needling, the device including a needling table having a stationary top surface for receiving a helical fiber sheet for needling, a circular turntable positioned under the top surface of the needling table and having a plurality of drive needles vertically mounted thereon, the drive needles passing through the needling table and projecting relative to its top surface, the drive needles being positioned on at least one diameter of the turntable, and a drive system constructed and arranged to drive the turntable in rotation relative to the top surface of the needling table about a vertical axis.