WRC – Paddon keeps a cool head for Sardinia

Hayden Paddon will debut with Hyundai WRT this week by making its first start at Rally from Sardinia on a Hyundai i20 WRC. The 2011 P-WRC champion, who has a seven-event contract this year with the Korean manufacturer, is keeping reasonable targets for this weekend on an event offering both narrow and fast roads for a total of 395km timed. “We will have to remain calm. We're only going to set it on fire for our first outing with the Hyundai i20 WRC. It will be about learning in order to build ourselves for the following events”, commented the New Zealander who finished eighth in Spain last year with M-Sport. “The main objective is to reach the finish but it would be nice to manage to collect some points in the Drivers' Championship. »

Alongside his co-driver John Kennard, Hayden Paddon prepared by carrying out tests in France and Poland. “I have already had to do more kilometers in testing this year than in the previous three seasons and the time spent behind the wheel is precious. I can follow Thierry (Neuville) and chat with him as well as with Juho (Hänninen) and Dani (Sordo). We tested some things that came from them and others that were more personal because my riding is different. I tend to be a little softer. We enter a little into the unknown by going to Sardinia. We were able to watch videos and we were able to note that the roads offer a real variety between slow and fast sections, but the stages remain narrow and technical and there are many stones on the road. We are entering summer and warm and sunny weather is expected, which will make this event the toughest of the year in terms of physicality. »