Motorsport: Paddon co-driver change permanent?

Hayden Paddon and Seb Marshall in action during the shakedown of the WRC Portugal. Photo / Getty Images

Kiwi rally driver Hayden Paddon's co-driver change for WRC Portugal could become permanent.

Brit Seb Marshall stepped in to replace New Zealander John Kennard in Portugal, who was battling a hip injury. Marshall has already been confirmed as Paddon's long-term co-driver and will replace the retiring Kennard after WRC Finland in July.

But with Kennard's injury taking longer to heal than expected and Paddon showing major signs of improvement in Portugal the move might be made without a Kennard swansong.

"The plan was for John to stop after Finland, but that was before the injury threw a spanner in the works," Paddon told Autosport.

"It'll become difficult to chop and change co-drivers.

"Seb and I have started to build a rapport, but John's part of this project and we want to do what's best for everybody."

It appears Kennard will miss the next round - WRC Sardinia in early June.

Paddon had been off the pace with the 2017-spec cars but showed promising signs at the weekend's WRC Portugal, winning four stages and leading briefly before electrical problems cost him any chance of earning points.