Hayden Paddon, the New Zealand driver, expresses his desire to continue competing with Hyundai in the World Rally Championship (WRC), especially in gravel surface events. After returning to competition for the first time since 2018, he has shared the Korean brand’s entry with Dani Sordo and Esapekka Lappi.
In his return, Paddon has achieved the best asphalt result for Hyundai this season with a third place in Croatia. After his participation in Rally Japan, he now hopes to have the opportunity to race on gravel terrains, which are his strong suit.
The 39-year-old driver, who won once in the WRC in Argentina in 2016, has identified the rounds in Paraguay or Chile as his preferences. Although nothing is confirmed yet, Paddon states: “I would like to have another rally, but we will have to wait and see what the team decides.”
Hyundai has already announced that Dani Sordo will occupy the third seat for the upcoming gravel round in Greece. This leaves options for Paddon in future competitions in Paraguay, Chile, Sardinia, and Saudi Arabia that are yet to be determined.
Additionally, Paddon reflects on his return to the WRC and asserts that he has done everything that was asked of him in difficult circumstances, improving his return with each competition. “We have improved and I believe that our speed has grown with each rally,” he adds. “We have done everything we were asked.”