However, Robert is playing down any expectations created by the shock result of finishing top home driver and a close second to the seemingly unbeatable Ross Le Noa in 2025.
There will be business to do when he lines up alongside navigator Chris Guille – his boss at La Villette Garage – in their Ford Escort MK1 as second seeds, but equally he hopes to have fun along the way.
‘It was quite a surprise for us where we managed to come, but it was just a great weekend for us,’ he said.
‘We really enjoyed doing the stages last year, and that’s what we do it for really – to get our enjoyment – so hopefully this year it’s the same, we just go out and have some fun.’
They had sat fourth after Friday’s afternoon and night stages last year, before using their local knowledge to do the damage on a rainy Saturday morning in St Saviour’s and St Andrew’s.
They finished within 20sec. of the yet-undefeated Le Noa and miles beyond their seeding of 15th.
‘We had some circumstances which just played into our hands – the rain coming down quite early and everyone had gone out on dry tyres.
‘For whatever reason, it worked really well for us and that’s where we managed to gain so much time.
‘Without that, we’d probably still been where we were Friday night.’
Add in some intriguing new faces, including six-time UK asphalt champion Damian Cole, and the task ahead looks tougher yet.
‘I’d be quite surprised if we managed to do what we did last year.
‘I just hope we have a good event and if the quick boys want to just go ahead and we enjoy ourselves behind them, that’s absolutely fine by me.’
Regardless, Robert will be taking any opportunities he can get, marking his intention to ‘use our local knowledge and put a little bit of pressure on them’.
‘As long as we can put some pressure on them, that’d be nice, make them sweat a little bit.’
Although pushing for overall rally honours is new to Robert, he is no stranger to motoring success.
His wider motorsport background includes breaking class records on the hill climbs from an early age.
He won the prized Le Pelley Trophy in 2014, at just 20, after a near-faultless season of smashing records in his sand-racing saloons class.
But his first tastes of rallying came from when his late dad Graham – for whom the 2025 event was in memory – would take him and his family, including brother Karl, over to watch the Jersey Rally.
When he started competing with his Honda Civic in 2015, it was another Karl – Guernsey Rally chairman Marshall – who would sit alongside him as navigator and share successes against other front-wheel drive cars.
They placed second in class on their debut in the sister isle and went on to win the FWD2 category frequently and indiscriminately, be it Guernsey or Jersey, from 2018 onwards. But the fast cars soon came calling.
‘We started off with quite a cheap car and very little expectations in what could be done.
‘We did quite well in the first rally and it’s just sort of progressed from there, really.
‘We put quite a lot of time into the car, into the Civic and got it into a good place, and we did have some really good results.
‘But it was one of those. Whenever we used to watch the Jersey Rally back when we were kids, it was always Escorts that we loved.’
Finally, in autumn 2024, he made his own Escort debut alongside Guille – who had been his co-driver for over two years at that point – in Jersey.
They went out with a mechanical issue. But four months later came the performance in Guernsey that has defined Robert’s career so far.
A good relationship with the co-driver is an important part of the equation, so why not boss and fellow petrolhead Guille?
‘He is my boss, so I do have to sort of deal with his irritations every day as well as on the weekends.
‘But we’ve got on really well.
‘He was quite interested in it but I didn’t think he was too, too keen on rallying, but as soon as he sat in the seat, I can’t seem to get rid of him. He seems to really enjoy it.
‘We have a good relationship and he’s done really well for me – and since he’s been with me as well, we’ve always had good results. You can only let them speak for it.’
Tomorrow and Saturday, during which light rain is forecast, Robert and Guille will be soaking up plenty of home support along the way.
But staying composed is also critical for him. Last year he ensured his crew kept him in the dark about his overall time and position, which ensured he drove at his own pace and kept the car ‘straight’.
‘I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself at all, but it’s quite nice that you have people congratulating you afterwards and you do appreciate that it’s more than just you out there having a bit of fun.
‘There’s a lot of people who do enjoy it and there’s so many people out watching.’
That Robert has a home rally to contest is not to be taken for granted.
The hugely committed driver, who has competed in every edition to date, is very grateful to Marshall and his team for setting up the Guernsey Rally in 2018.
Travel restrictions put an impassable roadblock on 2021, protesters caused numerous issues in 2023, and an Environment & Infrastructure ruling left the lights red on the 2024 edition, but the rally has only picked up pace and expanded.
‘A lot of people said that he wouldn’t ever get a rally in Guernsey and he’s stuck at it – fair play to him for doing that.
‘Seeing how it’s evolved over the years has been great, and the amount of enthusiasm seems to be going with it, even after all the stuff in 2023.
‘When you are involved in some of the organising of it, it’s just incredible how much time people put aside to let it go ahead.
‘But then it’s an amazing feeling when you get to the end of it and you appreciate what everyone’s put in.’
