Andersson has won two of the last three SWRC rounds

PROTON Motorsports will be looking to extend its lead in the FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship when the series arrives in Cardiff for this week’s Wales Rally GB.

Sweden’s P-G Andersson has won two of the last three SWRC rounds he has contested and enjoys a six-point advantage at the top of the table as the series moves into its final three rounds.

The first of those three rallies is Rally GB, one the WRC’s most cherished events. Britain has run a round of the World Rally Championship since the series’ began in 1973 and – albeit in a very different guise – the event has been running for the last 80 years. Victory on Rally GB means a huge amount to all who take part in one of the world’s most famous rallies. And it’s SWRC victory that PROTON Motorsports is chasing this week.

There’s significant change to Rally GB for this year, with the event moving forward from its traditional final-round November date to mid-September. The long-range weather forecast is looking promising with plenty of sunshine and temperatures around 20 degrees.

As in the last two years, Rally GB runs the length of Wales, getting underway with a ceremonial start in Llandudno on the north coast Thursday (September 13). The drivers then tackle stages in the middle of the country before ending day one on the south coast in Cardiff. The weekend action is based out of the capital city, with another innovation for the event being the inclusion of a stage around Celtic Manor, the host hotel and golf course for Europe’s Ryder Cup victory in 2010.

Joining Andersson in the PROTON factory team next week will be 20-year-old Welshman Tom Cave. Cave is the current sensation in British rallying. He contested his first round of the world championship – the 2008 Rally GB – just 10 days after being legally allowed to drive on the road aged 17. And then won his Rally GB class by 15 minutes.

Since then, Cave has driven a semi-works PROTON on British and European rallies and won his first round of the British Rally Championship earlier this season. His first overseas win came with a stunning display of controlled and committed driving on the Rally of Thailand, his debut with PROTON Motorsports earlier this year.

Cave and Andersson both tested in Wales last month, finalising the set-up for their Satria-Neo S2000s in similar conditions to which they will drive this week.

Rally GB isn’t PROTON Motorsports’ only commitment next weekend, with the penultimate round of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship – the Hokkaido Rally – in Japan also running this weekend. PROTON is represented in Obihio by reigning APRC champion driver Alister McRae (Scotland) and Juha Salo (Finland).

In addition to its preparations for Rally GB and the Hokkaido Rally, the PROTON Motorsports team was in France last week for a two-day test ahead of the Malaysian firm’s debut on the Rallye de France.

P-G Andersson said: “We had a really good test for this event last month and the speed we showed in Finland gives me confidence for Wales. This car is really close to the top now, all the time the team is doing a great job in finding more and more speed from small areas. And we have to keep on pushing like that. For sure, [Hayden] Paddon and his Skoda will be tough to beat in Wales. He was quick, of course at home in New Zealand, but also we saw his speed in Finland – I think he can be fast anywhere now. I know these roads in Wales quite well, which can be a help. Actually, the first day I don’t know so well, I did these only one time, but from what I remember they are really nice and fast stages. I’m sure it will be a good battle and, as usual, we are starting for the win.”

Tom Cave said: “I am incredibly excited, and of course honoured, to be contesting my home round of the FIA World Rally Championship with PROTON. Craig and I are also very proud to be the only Welshmen contesting the event, which takes place entirely within our home nation. It will be fantastic to be back in the Proton; I really enjoyed driving our Satria-Neo S2000 in 2010 – it really suited my style – and of course, was delighted to win in Thailand with the team, so to get a second opportunity is amazing. Wales Rally GB is one of my favourite events – it’s my home round of the WRC and having done the event three times before, I know a little of what the conditions and the stages can be like.

“We appear to be having something of an Indian summer at the moment and as the event is around a month earlier than normal, hopefully the weather conditions will be a little better than we have seen in previous years. The long-range weather forecast looks like mainly dry with some light rain in the build-up to the event but certainly warmer than we have been used to – well into double figures. I think this will probably make the event faster than we have seen, with more grip from the drier stages. I think it will also make it more competitive, as when the conditions are very bad, a little local knowledge can be useful but better weather makes for a more even field.”

MEM team principal Chris Mellors said: “The nature of this rally could change quite considerably in the shift from November to September, with a potentially drier rally being quite a lot faster than if it’s wet – and we’d be happy with that. Rallies don’t come much faster than Finland and we won there last time out. We’ve got a very good line-up in Wales this week: P-G has plenty of raw speed and the ability to win any event he goes to and Tom has tremendous maturity for his 20 years. We’ve asked Tom to play a supporting role to P-G, but I don’t see any reason why his speed shouldn’t carry him towards a podium place. With Rally GB and the Hokkaido Rally going on at the same weekend, there’s got to be plenty of excitement in the PROTON Motorsports corner of the service park. And, by the end of the weekend on both sides of the world, hopefully plenty of celebrating!”