Motorsport: Hyundai drive paying off for Paddon

Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard were sitting in seventh yesterday. Photo / Michael Vettas

The two new kids seem to be getting on just fine.

South Korean car manufacturer Hyundai recently decided to revisit the world rally scene after a 15-year absence and New Zealander Hayden Paddon is also a newcomer when it comes to racing in the World Rally Championship. So far it would appear the pairing of Paddon and Hyundai is paying off.

Paddon and co-driver John Kennard are fizzing around the dirt roads of Coffs Harbour at Rally Australia, in only their fourth WRC event behind the wheel of an i20 Hyundai WRC car, and are doing well.

The New Zealanders were sitting comfortably in seventh yesterday after two days of rallying and were the lead Hyundai works pair, two minutes behind leader Sebastien Ogier, who led Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen.

It's a rare thing for a manufacturer to enter motorsport and do so well straight out of the box. Combine that with a young driver mixing it with drivers with at least 10 times more WRC starts makes for something quite special.

It was a brave decision for Hyundai to use a world championship season as a test bed for a new car but it appears to be paying off. It helps having Michel Nandan with a hand on the wheel - the Monegasque was appointed team principal and head technical guru in January 2013 after stints developing the Peugeot 206 WRC car, the Suzuki SX4 WRC car and time with Toyota.

"I don't really know why we have been so successful so quickly, but we have done a lot of work in a short period of time," Nandan told the Herald on Sunday during yesterday's service break. "It was difficult to get the first two cars built and ready for homologation and then test before starting racing. Everyone involved should be very proud.

"It's a challenge to race against the best while still developing and testing the car. When you do it this way in the real world, you take the risk that it can be good or bad and everyone can see if we have problems."

Some commentators have suggested Hyundai's first and second place at the last round in Germany was just lucky. That thinking couldn't be more wrong - you have to be in a position to capitalise on others' mistakes, and luck doesn't come into keeping your car on the road.

"Our two podiums were unexpected and it wasn't luck. We were in a good position to take advantage of a racing incident [Latvala and Chris Meeke crashed]. The idea is to stay on the road, which we did and it's all part of the game," said Nandan.

Paddon and Kennard are playing the game well and enjoying it. Nandan likes the cut of the Kiwi's jib and finds him to be a pleasant, hard working and conscientious driver who is making the most of the opportunity given to him. Paddon is relishing the opportunity of being a works driver and enjoying the cut and thrust of racing at the highest level of world rallying.

"The car may not be a complete match with Fords, Citroens or VWs, but for a car in development it's going well and we're pushing pretty hard. We're trying a few setups that are particular to me now and it's starting to work," said Paddon.