Paddon bags fourth in Poland

Hayden Paddon proved once again that he’s got what it takes to mix it with the world’s best, turning in a clean and error-free drive to secure his second successive top-five finish

With 75% of the Poland course changed from previous years, competitors went into the event on an even footing. The course’s fast and narrow country roads featured a mix of sand and gravel surfaces, meaning drivers needed to stay on their toes.

None of that slowed down the hard-charging Kiwis, as they posted top-five times throughout the opening stages. The pair continued to push the rally’s leaders on Day 2, posting the second-fastest time on Stage 10. They wrapped up the day in fifth place, with a handy margin over the chasing field.

The Kiwis had a strong last day, building on their lead to finish more than 30 seconds clear of their nearest rival and Hyundai teammate, Thierry Neuville (Belgium).

They also benefitted from Jari-Matti Latvala’s accident during the final stage. Latvala and co-driver Miikka Anttila (both Finland) got up close and personal with a tree, and had to make hurried repairs to their broken radiator to cross the finish line.

Consistency and good fortune

Paddon and Kennard were then promoted into fourth, after the Finns were handed a 40-second penalty for checking in late, which dropped them from third to fifth.

While acknowledging Latvala’s mistake was unfortunate for the Volkswagen driver, Paddon said the result felt as good as a podium finish.

“The level of competition here was very close and there was only one retirement amongst the WRC cars. It feels good to be this competitive against the world’s best.”

The result also earned Paddon 12 championship points, and sees him climb into eighth overall on the ladder.

Confidence boost

Paddon added that the finish gives them confidence heading into the next round in Finland, because it shows they can be competitive in contrasting conditions – Sardegna is one of the slowest gravel rallies in the championship, while Poland is one of the fastest.

It was also the first time since their season debut in Sweden that their Hyundai i20 car had suffered no damage or experienced mechanical issues.

“It’s a huge testament to the work the team is doing. We have some good data we can take away from this weekend, to work on for Finland. While it is also a fast rally, it’s more flowing with faster corners. The tree-lined roads also make it easier to read the profile of the stages.

“It’s the WRC event we have the most experience of, having competed there five times before. We will be counting on that experience to aim for another top-five performance.”

Main image: Hayden Paddon and John Kennard recorded their second consecutive top-five WRC finish at Rally Poland  Photo: Hyundai MotorSport