"Saturday is always a really key day for road position, so we need to try and get up to speed as quickly as possible on Friday, so we can try and get ourselves in position for the rest of the rally."Saturday's stages, south of Coffs Harbour, are likely to be the most slippery of the rally, as they are run on shire roads with a loose, gravel surface.
Hayden Paddon finished second for Hyundai in 2018. Photo: Peter Whitten
"The key is that I have a comfortable and predictable car under me that gives me confidence to push."All signs from our test a few weeks ago point towards that, but we obviously have to wait and see what it’s like in Australian conditions." Those conditions are likely to be hot and dry, with little rain on the Coffs Coast in recent months. Dry, hard surfaces are predicted, with lots of dust.
Hayden Paddon at the wheel of the Ford Fiesta WRC.
"It is going to be really tough for us to be competitive after 12 months away and not a lot of rallying this year."We will do our best, and as it could be my last WRC rally, it's important to enjoy it." Kennards Hire Rally Australia gets underway with a Super Special Stage on the Coffs Harbour jetty next Thursday night, before three hard days of rallying on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It's the final round of the 2019 World Rally Championship.
SUBSCRIBE BELOW TO READ THE FULL STORY
Love rallying? You’ve come to the right place.
Our team share the passion for rallying.
A subscription to RallySport Magazine gives you superior rally content from Australia, New Zealand and around the world – with deals, offers and experiences nobody can match. Our team is dedicated to providing an unrivalled experience that shares, supports and promotes the sport of rallying.
BASIC MEMBERSHIP
$79.99 / yearSign up now
Sign up now$7.49 / monthSign up now
Sign up nowPREMIUM MEMBERSHIP
$171.00 / yearSign up now
Sign up now$14.25 / monthSign up now
Sign up now
