Tom has been around rallying for as long as he can remember. With his Dad, Peter Cave, competing himself, it would not be long before Tom was involved one way or another. He began with cleaning wheels or polishing the car at service, then he would head out to see his Dad, and some of the best in the sport, come flying past.
Tom's motorsport career began after he enrolled in Martin Rowe's Ice Driving School in Norway. From there he progressed to rallying in Latvia, where youngsters can begin from the age of 14. He began in an MG ZR, before moving to a Ford Fiesta. He progressed to the Latvian National Championship, where after two years in the Latvian National Championship he gained his International licence. On gaining his International licence, he entered Wales Rally GB. Tom dominated his class, N3, to win by 15 mins.
ProfileHometown: Aberdovey, West Wales
Job: Assistant Manager at our family hotel, the Trefeddian Hotel
Road Car: VW Golf TDi
Rally Car: Proton Satria Neo S2000
Co-Driver: Craig Parry
Sponsors: Trefeddian Hotel, Jim Blackstock Communications, Evo Magazine
Global Rally News: When did you first start driving?
Tom Cave: I first started driving around the grounds of our house and the hotel, when I was 12 in a Fiat Panda 4x4, the old-school classic model, brilliant little off-roader and brilliant for driving around and doing handbrakes everywhere, much to everyone's annoyance!
GRN: What was your first rally car?
TC: The first rally car I drove in which I learned to practice the trade of rallying in was an MG ZR 1.8 Grp N, most of parts on the car were from the MG rally team who ran Gwyndaf Evans in the British championship, we were luckily to have allot of spares and a shell!
GRN: What was your first event?
TC: My first ever event in competition was out in Latvia
GRN: What is your favourite rally car?
TC: Favourite rally car, Audi Quattro S1, what a monster!
GRN: Who was your childhood hero in motorsport?
TC: I guess it was Colin McRae, I grew up watching the era when he was in his last couple years at Ford, defiantly a crowd pleaser on the stages.
GRN: What are your favourite rallies?
TC: Favourite rallies, the ones I have done got to be the Monte Carlo rally which we did this year, I think the Dakar rally is up there with my favourites, one day would like to win Rally GB, I think if you win that some point your rallying career even if its in 10 years, you would be respected by many British fans.
GRN: What was your biggest accident?
TC: I haven't had any big smacks yet, had numerous incidents when ending on the roof and having big moments down ditches this year with PROTON, but on the whole my accident rate record if fairly low!
GRN: What would you like to change in rallying (rules/admin ect.)?
TC: For the MSA to run a scheme for young drivers like the French sport federation (FFSA) is doing, which has supported the likes of Sebastien Ogier financially, there is so many talented drivers in the UK but just don't get the chance and backing to make it somewhere in the sport and given the opportunity.
GRN: What are your plans for next year?
TC: Our plans are firmly set on the British championship, I said to myself at the end of this year we need to win a championship, and the British championship is good proving ground. I think we can be competitive, but we need to have the right car and backing behind us to go all the way next year, there is no point doing a championship half heartily if you want to win it!
GRN: What advice would you offer to an upcoming young driver?
TC: When your young you just want to prove yourself to everyone that your best driver, but if you believe in your own ability to drive a rally car fast, keep holding the belief, and one day your chance will come. Set your goals high and achieve them!
 |
| Alistair McRae, Chris Atkinson and Tom Cave (L-R) The PROTON team |
No comments:
Post a Comment