Motorsport: Kennard in car for Rally Coromandel

John Kennard. Photo / File

Although Kiwi co-driver John Kennard has finished his time in the WRC alongside New Zealand trailblazer Hayden Paddon, he still has some work left with the works Hyundai driver.

Brit Seb Marshall has replaced Kennard as Paddon's fulltime WRC co-driver but Kennard will be in the car when the WRC star returns to New Zealand to contest Rally Coromandel as part of the Brian Green Property New Zealand Rally Championship in August.

Paddon will pilot the Hyundai New Zealand AP4+ car at Coromandel as well as at Rally New Zealand in November.

Kennard is a confirmed starter at the Coromandel event but it will depend on whether New Zealand gets the green light for a return to the 2018 WRC calendar if we are to see the veteran co-driver alongside Paddon at the country's premier rally.

"It depends a little bit on when we see a calendar from the FIA," Kennard told the Herald.

"Obviously if, as we dearly hope, Rally New Zealand ends up as a round of the world championship next year, the stages they will be doing on Rally New Zealand this year will be used.

"So it makes sense [to get familiar with the roads] that, a week after Rally Australia, Seb would come over and be with Hayden on Rally New Zealand.

"If things don't work out as we would like them to and it isn't a world championship round, then I will be in the car for Rally New Zealand as well."

New Zealand has been working hard for a return to the WRC for the first time since 2012 and it is widely believed the series promoter will include the Tauranga-based event on the 2018 schedule. Dale Budge