Motorsport: Paddon favourite for Rally New Zealand

Hayden Paddon will drive the Hyundai New Zealand i20 AP4+ car at Rally NZ. Photo / Geoff Ridder

Kiwi rally driver Hayden Paddon returns to New Zealand this week for the finale of the New Zealand Rally Championship in Tauranga.

Rally New Zealand won't have the same gusto everyone was hoping for while it appeared a return to the WRC calendar was on the cards but it still pits the best talent in the country up against each other on some of the best rally roads in the world.

Paddon will pilot the Hyundai New Zealand i20 and will start the rally as overwhelming favourite.

"I am really looking forward to it actually – coming back home with our own team, friends – it is quite a relaxed atmosphere," he told The Herald.

It has been an incredibly challenging year for the 30-year-old. He has been hit by bad luck, poor form, a change in co-driver, personal issues and a fractured team this year so an unexpected podium at Rally Australia over the weekend was a nice way to finish the year.

He will link up with long-time co-driver John Kennard for the two-day rally using the iconic roads near Raglan as well as in the Bay of Plenty.

It is the first time he has been back to New Zealand since Rally Coromandel in August.

"The guys have spent a lot of time - we have developed a lot of things on that AP4 car since Coromandel," Paddon said. "I got the shits with it a bit in Coromandel because the car was driving me rather than me driving the car so we said that was enough.

"We have gone back to the drawing board and changed a lot of stuff.

"Just having that freedom to do those sorts of things is back to the grassroots that we love."

Paddon was a big campaigner to try and get Rally New Zealand back on the world championship calendar. While disappointed that it won't happen next year he is looking forward to the challenge it presents.

"Obviously some pretty iconic Rally New Zealand stages will be on as well so I am really looking forward to the weekend."

The rally begins with a ceremonial start in downtown Tauranga tonight before competitive stages in the Raglan and Te Akau areas, including the famous Whaanga Coast stage, tomorrow and Bay of Plenty roads Sunday.