Cave: Wales Rally GB is ‘make or break’

Tom Cave won’t be satisfied with anything other than a WRC2 win when he returns to a Ford Fiesta R5 for Wales Rally GB this week.

The Welshman has returned to a Fiesta R5 after failing to agree terms to run the Hyundai he used to clinch a class podium on Rally Finland in July. With the car sorted, Cave is now fully focused on landing a result on an event he admits is “pretty much make or break”. The 25-year-old told Motorsport

News: “I had a good run in Finland using a car [the i20] that I think everybody knows isn’t the most competitive in its category and we managed to get a podium. I think we’re expected to produce a good result in GB, which I know we can.”

Cave said his knowledge of his native stages stands him in good stead for the October 26-29 event.

“I was in Hafren, Myherin and Sweet Lamb on the Mid-wales [Stages],” he said, “then I won the Plains Rally, which uses Dyfi and Gartheiniog and I did the Cambrian with Alwen, Brenig and Clocaenog. I’ve got to put the pace down. I’m not going to build this thing up, but I know my capabilities and we’ve seen that in the BRC; I won every gravel stage I competed on in the Hyundai and people are expecting that form to continue into Rally GB.”

Cave has competed on his home round of the WRC seven times previously, with his best result being his debut class win in 2008.

“I guess the driver you have to look out for is Pontus [Tidemand, in WRC2],” said Cave, “and Gus [Greensmith] is going well this year, but do I fear anybody? I’ve got to be honest and say no. Look at 2013 when Elfyn [Evans] did Rally GB in an R5 car for the first time, we beat him on five of six stages on Friday.”