Motorsport: Paddon wins Rally NZ as Hawkeswood bags title

Andrew Hawkeswood claimed the New Zealand Rally Championship on Sunday. Photo / Geoff Ridder

Hayden Paddon has finished off a horrible year in style as he cruised to victory at Rally New Zealand on Sunday.

The WRC star won every stage of the event in the Hyundai New Zealand i20 AP4+ to win by over seven minutes from Subaru driver Matt Summerfield.

Andrew Hawkeswood was third in his Mazda, which was enough to claim his maiden New Zealand Rally Championship, narrowly edging Summerfield for overall honours.

David Holder finished fourth in the Holden Barina.

Hawkeswood's team made the trek out from the service park to the final stage to greet their boss as he celebrated winning one of the closest titles in recent history.

"Yea it is bloody awesome aye," a delighted but exhausted Hawkeswood said. "Holy hell. It was hard work. It was just trying to drive at that pace where you just don't want to make a mistake.

"It was hard work."

The veteran driver has been trying to win this championship for a long time.

"20 years and here we are finally," he said.

"Great team – you couldn't do it without them."

More to follow.