Source: Radio New Zealand
Hayden Paddon and John Kennard drive a Hyundai i20 at Rally Croatia. AFP
Hayden Paddon has turned back the clock, climbing a World Rally Championship (WRC) podium for the first time in eight years following a carnage-filled round in Croatia.
The 38-year-old and his long-time co-driver John Kennard combined to produce the best finish for Hyundai on the three-day rally, but only after teammate and rally leader Thierry Neuville dramatically crashed on the 20th and final stage.
Belgian Neuville, who had been leading, skidded and veered off course kilometres from the finish and smashed into a concrete block, damaging his suspension.
Japan’s Takamoto Katsuta was promoted to first, 20.7 seconds ahead of fellow Toyota driver Sami Pajari, with Paddon a further 1min 47sec back in third.
Katsuta goes top of the WRC standings after four rounds, having won the previous leg in Kenya.
Paddon, a part-time driver for Hyundai in his return to the WRC, is 11th overall after two drives.
Hayden Paddon. Photosport
He placed 11th in his other appearance this season, the Monte Carlo Rally in January, before rotating out of the team’s third car for other drivers in Sweden and Kenya.
The 38-year-old was as much relieved as he was pleased to return to the podium for the first time since Rally Australia in 2018, having negotiated challenging conditions in Croatia.
“A result is a result. We have done it by being a bit technical and having wisdom and being smart. We have made a good step up from Monte,” Paddon said in immediate post-race comments, having recorded his best-ever finish in a WRC tarmac rally.
Paddon and Kennard found themselves fourth early in the 20-stage rally and held firm in that position before climbing one spot due to Neuville’s dramatic late misfortune.
The 20-stage Croatia Rally is widely considered one of the most challenging tarmac events in the WRC due to its low-grip, inconsistent surfaces and narrow roads.
The podium trio were the only top-category drivers in the leading 10, with in-form Toyota pair Elfyn Evans and Oliver Solberg both crashing out on day one of the three-day rally.
Paddon, whose lone WRC rally win came in Argentina in 2016, is likely to be rotated out of Hyundai’s lineup for the next event, in Spain’s Canary Islands later this month.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
