Kiwi driver Hayden Paddon is targeting improved performances in the World Rally Championship after a tough 2017.
Kiwi rally ace Hayden Paddon is philosophical about Hyundai Motorsport’s change in approach following his poor results last season.
Hyundai Motorsport announced in November, Paddon and co-driver Brit Seb Marshall would share the updated Hyundai i20 Coupe rally car with team-mate Dani Sordo and the Spaniard’s new co-driver Carlos del Barrio.
South Canterbury’s Paddon and Marshall will only compete in seven of the 13 events in this year’s World Rally Championship, starting at the second round in Sweden over February 15-18.
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Hayden Paddon will compete in seven of the 13 rounds of the World Rally Championship this year.
Sordo and del Barrio will also contest seven rallies with the team running four cars in Portugal in May.
Hyundai Motorsport have dropped from a four car campaign to three this year, due to funding shortages.
Hyundai has four drivers, Andreas Mikkelsen, Thierry Neuville, Paddon, and Sordo, and Paddon slipped down the pecking order when Mikkelsen arrived from Citroen in September.
Paddon said 2018 would be about redemption and working his way back to top performances again.
“I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t prefer to contest the full season, but I have to accept things like this and make the most of each opportunity we get throughout the year.
“Of course, we will do everything in our power to help the team towards their goal of winning the manufacturers’ title.
“My ultimate goal and target remains the same, but it will have to go on hold for this year. This year is about getting it all back on track and work towards the future.”
Paddon is aiming to bounce back after a forgettable 2017 season, where he finished eighth in the championship and only got on the podium twice. He was involved in an incident at the first rally of the season in Monte Carlo which led to the death of a spectator.
Aside from the Swedish rally, he will also race round six in Portugal in May and round seven in Italy in June. He will end the season with round nine in Finland in July, round 10 in Turkey in September, round 11 in Great Britain in October and round 13 in Australia in November.
“I am treating the 2018 season almost like a fresh start after our difficulties from last year. I want to put that behind me and use the positives from our podium results to spur us on to achieve what I know we are capable of,” Paddon said.
“We will make the most of all seven events this year; being gravel rallies, these are all events that are strong for us and we have good experience of – other than Turkey, which will be new for everyone.
“We have nothing to lose, so we will be going all out on these events to fight for podiums and get that edge back. Also by doing more events in second half of the year, it means we will also have an advantageous road position for most events.”
Following a break in New Zealand for the Christmas holidays, Paddon returned to Europe to join the team at the UK’s famed Autosport motorsport show.
Paddon will look to keep his competitive edge by running an expanded New Zealand programme in his Hyundai New Zealand i20 AP4+ car.
The opening round of the World Rally Championship, which Paddon isn’t competing at, is at Monte Carlo from January 25-28.
AT A GLANCE:
Paddon’s 2018 race schedule:
Round 2: Sweden, February 15-18.
Round 6: Portugal, May 17-20.
Round 7: Italy, June 7-10.
Round 9: Finland, July 26-29.
Round 10: Turkey, September 13-16.
Round 11: Great Britain, October 4-7.
Round 13: Australia, November 15-18.
– Stuff
Source : Stuff.co.nz
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