Rally champion Paddon turns a slow start into a banner year

Hayden Paddon and John Kennard driving the Ford Fiesta RS WRC. Photo / M-Sport

Hayden Paddon had a busy latter half of 2013 after a bit of a slow start to the season when he and co-driver John Kennard didn't have a series to start.

"It's been quite a different year to most," said the former production world rally champion.

"We didn't really do much in the first half other than a lot of planning and negotiating. Then from the middle of the year, and onwards ... it just went bang, bang, bang. It was full on with the New Zealand Rally Championship, WRC2 and of course our WRC drive."

Winning the NZRC again while trying to fit in the odd drive overseas in two different categories is no mean feat, and trying to pick a highlight moment would normally prove a little hard after another successful year for the pair.

Not so for Paddon.

"It would have to be the WRC drive for M Sport in Spain. Being in a world rally car for the first time is definitely one of my most memorable moments.

"Winning the New Zealand championship was a great feeling and an added bonus, as we didn't think we had much of a chance. We were fitting the home races in among our commitments overseas and it was great to see we managed to have a championship year.

"The win was even more enjoyable especially with our back shed team doing all the hard work."

The Hayden Paddon Rallysport Group is a small fish in the rather large pond of world rallying. To win a world title was a major achievement and to then step up into the WRC2 category and set the fastest stage times on occasion is impressive. And to then jump into a WRC car for the first time and run inside the top 10 proves that if you have the talent and the opportunity, you can do well without a fat chequebook.

Along the way, Paddon has had to learn about sponsorship proposals, business plans, media strategies, logistics, drive negotiations and other behind-the-scenes stuff that goes unnoticed by the majority of rally fans.

"It's definitely a bigger job than driving, that's for sure. I certainly try and do as much as I can but I also have some good people around me. You learn that sponsorship isn't a donation and you have to work just as hard to keep them informed," said Paddon.

Rallying is a team effort inside the car as well as outside it. Paddon and Kennard have sat side-by-side over enough kilometres to go to the moon and back.

"John's been a big part of the team since we started together eight years ago," said Paddon. "He also works very hard and it all comes down to a good combination and being able to build good trust between driver and co-driver."