28-year old Hayden Paddon's scintillating performance in the Italian round of the World Rally Championship has taken the New Zealand rally world by storm.
As Paddon extended his lead over World Champion Sebastien Ogier on day two of the event, it seemed that every New Zealand rally fan was glued to their computers, tablets or phones to watch and listen to every second of the Kiwi’s push for victory.
Of course rallying is a fickle sport, as Hayden quickly found out later on day two when first a spin, and then a major gearbox problem, thwarted his chances of victory and gave Ogier an advantage that he was able to maintain until the end of the event.
Yet despite Hayden’s heartbreak, the young Kiwi has now truly arrived on the World Rally Championship scene, matching and often bettering the times of Ogier, Latvala, Meeke, Ostberg and others with far more credentials than the boy from Geraldine in the South Island.
Across the Tasman, a huge number of Australians were also trying their best to push the likeable Paddon to victory.
His breathtaking performance in last month’s Otago Rally, where he beat the entire NZ Rally Championship field in a 40 year old Ford Escort, was clear evidence that he has what it takes.
Now, with the latest spec Hyundai i20 World Rally Car at his disposal, complete with the new ‘paddle shift’ gearbox, it seems the world is at his feet.
Paddon was the first New Zealander to lead a World Championship rally since Possum Bourne, and the first to do so on foreign soil.
His second place equals Australian Chris Atkinson’s career-best second placings on the Mexican and Argentinian rounds of the WRC for Subaru in 2008. Interestingly, Atko’s top results were in his fourth and final year with Subaru, whereas Paddon’s second place comes on the 12 month anniversary of his first event with Hyundai, in Italy in 2014.
Rest assured, Hayden Paddon has arrived. Even when road conditions weren’t to his advantage, the New Zealander showed that he is more than capable of matching it with World Champion Sebastien Ogier - the ‘self confessed’ best driver in the WRC.
Congratulations Hayden and John Kennard. May there be many more podiums coming your way.
- Peter Whitten
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