Welsh rally driver Tom Cave is delighted to welcome Morris Lubricants as a major partner as he returns to the MSA British Rally Championship in 2013. The 21 year-old from Aberdovey aims to become the youngest-ever British Rally Champion, an honour held by the late, great Richard Burns and one of Tom's rallying heroes.
Burns won the title in 1993 at the age of 22 and although Tom came close in 2012, claiming the runners-up spot to triple BRC Champion Keith Cronin, he has set his sights on going one better in 2013. The final round of the series takes place before his 22nd birthday so if he is able to clinch the title this year, he will find himself in exceptional company.
Tom's year will begin before the first round of the BRC though, with a two-day test ahead of his first appearance for Morris at its annual sales conference in March. He will then take part in the BRC Media Day before travelling to the far end of the country to complete in the Border Counties rally as a final preparation for the start of the 2013 BRC season.
He will be using his Citroen DS3 R3 again in 2013 but one major change will see Ieuan Thomas joining him as co-driver. Tom felt that he needed a new challenge to push him on for the year and selected Ieuan to join him in the car. This is part of the reason that he and Ieuan will contest the Border Counties, to ensure that they have all their systems ready for the first round of the BRC.
Calendar changes from previous years mean that the first round of the 2013 BRC will be Tom's home round and the event he claimed his first international rally win on in 2012, the Rally of North Wales. And with the absence of Cronin, Tom should start his favourite event of the season with the coveted No. 1 on the doors of his Citroen.
The support of Morris Lubricants will be crucial in his campaign; not only will the support allow him to undertake a comprehensive testing programme ahead of every event, Morris lubricants technology promises to provide a performance edge. The faith placed in him by Morris has also given him a boost in confidence ahead of the start of the season.
The company has also indicated that it would like Tom to become an ambassador for the Morris Lubricants brand, which has an enviable reputation in the industry. This is a role which Tom relishes and is looking forward to working with a company with a rich heritage and values which match his and those of the Trefeddian Hotel, another notable supporter.
Tom's partnership with Morris will see him form part of the Morris Lubricants marketing and promotional campaigns as the company fully recognises the opportunities that the relationship offers. It is already planning trips to several rounds of the BRC while it has also confirmed that Tom and his Citroen will be present at various company activities throughout the year.
Morris Lubricants was formed in 1869 and today, offers a wide range of lubricants for automotive, agricultural and industrial uses. Based in Shrewsbury on the England/Wales border, the family-owned company offers exceptional products and customer service not only to the UK but also, to 65 global markets.
Commenting, Tom said; "I am delighted to welcome Morris Lubricants on board for our campaign in the 2013 MSA British Rally Championship. The support from the company and the endorsement it signals are crucial elements of our campaign as I look to progress in the sport and in this year's goal of winning the BRC.
"It certainly looks like it's going to be a busy year; seven rounds of the BRC, the Border Counties Rally as a shakedown event and what looks like a lot of very exciting and interesting activity with Morris. Add into that a new co-driver and the possibility of one or two international events towards the end of the season and it's going to be fantastic.
"We have already carried out our first test in the Citroen and like last year, it feels great. We've made a few set-up changes based on what we learned in 2012 and will be continuing to develop the car as we go through the season.
"Coming into this year as runner-up in last season's BRC gives me a good level of confidence but I know that winning the title this year isn't going to be easy. Last year was incredibly competitive - just look at the result on the Rally of Yorkshire [Tom won the event by 0.1 seconds on a countback] and you'll see that it won't be a walk in the park. But with Ieuan in the car with me, the Davies Motorsport Services team once again running the car and support from Morris Lubricants, I think we have the best chance we have had of taking the title."
Jan Trocki, General Manager of Marketing & Technology at Morris Lubricants, whose experience spans Formula 1, Le Mans and winning the World Rally Championship with Toyota, said: "We are delighted to be working with Tom this year. He shows great potential and he is learning from previous experience how to approach this year's Championship. Morris Lubricants will provide technical support to maintain reliability and performance of the car."
