Motorsport: Transtasman battle within WRC

Kiwi pair Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard are pushing for a top five finish in Rally Australia with their Hyundai i20 WRC car. Photo / Vettas Media

Kiwi vs Oz duel for Hyundai teammates Hayden Paddon and Chris Atkinson

European eyes may be watching leading World Rally Championship title contenders Sebastien Ogier, Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen at the Coates Hire Rally Australia this weekend. Rest assured though, all eyes on this side of the world will be watching the battle between New Zealander Hayden Paddon and Australian Chris Atkinson.

The Kiwi pair of Paddon and co-driver John Kennard are contesting their fourth round as fully paid up members of the Hyundai Motorsport works team in their i20 WRC car, while their teammate this weekend, Atkinson, needs to put on a good show if he wants a full-time gig next year.

The transtasman battle will be a race within a race, as Paddon wants to do well on soil that will be the closest he gets to home, and Atkinson needs to make the most of his opportunity.

Paddon and Kennard have made steady progress since becoming the first New Zealand pair to be signed up as full-time works drivers. The pair reckons this weekend could be the opportunity to push on for a top-five finish after two eighth-place finishes in Poland and Finland.

"It's great to be racing here as it's the closest we get to a home rally and we're on roads we know, and I've had good results here in the past," said Paddon.

"Yesterday's roads were a bit new to us as the car broke down last time but the rest of the rally we know quite well and their [road] general characteristics.

"We want to continue the progression we've been making so far in the championship and if we can get close to a top five that would be great. It'll be hard as the other cars are also factory types so it's going to be a challenge."

Hyundai may be the new boys on the WRC block but they've taken to the task of being competitive with zeal and have already posted a win, last time out in Germany. Paddon will go up against Hyundai teammates Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul, as well as Atkinson and Stephane Prevot, and feels the roads will suit his driving style. While success has come early everyone in the team knows there is still a fair way to go to gain the consistency some of the other works teams are enjoying. Paddon did mention though, that enough progress has been made with the cars that they are now focusing on the little things, which will gain them tenths of a second per kilometre, rather than large chunks.

"Our preparation this week has gone well. From recce, the roads are in great condition, maybe even better and with a harder base than last year.

"However, the roads are quite challenging in places, especially Saturday's stages that includes the long 48km stage, which has a heavy covering of gravel that will be tough to sweep.

"We're getting really comfortable in the car and only made a few changes to the setup to suit my own driving. In the past we've used the other driver's setup as a base but now we're going down our own path.

"We've also done a few other small things in the car like a bit of strengthening - nothing major though and I'm looking forward to it and putting the hammer down."

Today the crews head south of Coffs Harbour to a selection of hard-based shire roads west of Nambucca Heads.