Motorsport: Paddon backs Neuville as WRC Poland begins

Thierry Neuville during the Shakedown of the WRC Poland. Photo / Getty Images

Sebastien Ogier has dominated the World Rally Championship since 2013 but Kiwi driver Hayden Paddon thinks he will have a real scrap to make it five-straight world championships this season.

Paddon's Hyundai teammate Thierry Neuville lies second in the standings - trailing the Frenchman by 18 points with six of the 13 rounds remaining.

Neuville was on-track to win the first two events of the year in Monte Carlo and Sweden before he ran into problems late and dropped valuable points to Ogier. But he's slowly worked his way back into the title frame and won in Corsica and Argentina.

The Kiwi thinks his Belgian teammate will give the championship a real shake this year.
"I think he certainly has got a good chance," Paddon told herald.co.nz.

"If you took Monte Carlo and Sweden out of the equation then he'd be leading the championship at the moment.

"He is doing a great job this year.

"We know Hyundai has a strong package so he has got the tools to do it."

Paddon is out of championship contention himself but will work with his Hyundai teammates to try and win the manufacturers championship as well as trying to help Neuville's personal quest.

"While we can't win it ourselves now the next best thing is for one of our teammates to be up there challenging for it so we are certainly hoping he takes it down to the wire and gives Seb a good run for his money."

Meanwhile Paddon posted the sixth-equal fastest time on the WRC Poland opening super special stage.

Brit Elfyn Evans was fastest through the short test ahead of Neuville, Ogier, Jari-Matti Latvala and Ott Tanak.

The rally gets underway properly overnight.

Nice clean start tonight on SSS1 - now time for good nights rest to recharge for a push tomorrow! @rajdpolski @sebmarshall @HMSGOfficial pic.twitter.com/xH4m56v5QD

— Hayden Paddon (@HaydenPaddon) June 29, 2017