New Zealand rally driver Hayden Paddon and co-driver Jared Hudson have ended the opening day of the 60th Ardeca Ypres Rally on top of the leaderboard, delivering a commanding performance through the tight and twisty tarmac roads of Belgium’s West Flanders region.
Competing as part of the Belgian Rally Championship, the event is one of Europe’s most storied and technical rallies, renowned for its narrow farm lanes, fast asphalt stretches, and unforgiving 90-degree junctions that demand precision, commitment, and confidence.
Paddon and Hudson, piloting a Hyundai i20 N Rally2 run by reigning Belgian champions BMA Autosport, head into the overnight halt with a 3.8-second lead over Belgian rally icons Freddy Loix and Pieter Tsjoen in their Škoda Fabia RS Rally2.
Special Significance: A Full-Circle Moment for Paddon
Ypres holds a unique place in Hayden Paddon’s career timeline. The 2013 edition was his first competitive outing in Belgium, where he stunned the local rallying community by climbing to fourth overall before a minor off on the final day ended his charge.
Despite the setback, that performance played a pivotal role in launching his World Rally Championship career with Hyundai, where he would go on to score New Zealand’s first-ever WRC win.
Twelve years later, Paddon returned to Ypres not only with more experience but also with unfinished business, looking to finally tame the Belgian tarmac.
Day 1 Overview:
Friday’s itinerary featured eight special stages, split across two identical loops of four stages each. In total, competitors faced over 75 kilometres of competitive distance, with warm temperatures and dry conditions, ideal for high-speed tarmac rallying.
Stage 1 – Westouter 1 (7.32km)
Paddon and Hudson opened with a 3rd-place finish (4:18.2), only 0.6 seconds off the stage-winning time set by Stéphane Lefebvre and Xavier Portier in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. It was a clean, measured start for the Kiwi pairing, who started second on the road behind local star Cédric Cherain.
Stage 2 – Wijtschate 1 (12.92km)
A statement of intent followed. Paddon and Hudson won the stage, stopping the clocks in 6:48.5, 2.3 seconds quicker than Belgians Davy Vanneste and Denis Squedin (Citroën C3 Rally2). It was a sharp and committed run, highlighting the strength of the BMA Hyundai on fast-flowing asphalt.
Stage 3 – Reninge 1 (13.08km)
The Kiwi duo backed it up with 2nd place, clocking in at 7:18.4, 2.3 seconds behind Dani Sordo and Patricia Saiz Ruiloba, who were the surprise package of the stage in their Porsche 992 GT3, a rear-wheel-drive RGT class entry with serious pace on tarmac.
Stage 4 – Langemark 1 (8.61km)
Paddon and Hudson slotted in 3rd once more (4:35.1), just 1.4 seconds behind the flying Porsche of Sordo and 0.8s off Cédric Cherain. It was a tight, competitive stage to end the morning loop.
At the mid-day service, Paddon and Hudson were already sitting at the top of the overall classification, showcasing their consistency and pace across varying stage characteristics.
Afternoon Loop:
With more rubber on the roads and the benefit of previous stage data, the afternoon repeat loop saw Paddon and Hudson improve their times on every stage, demonstrating their adaptability and performance under pressure.
Stage 5 – Westouter 2 (7.32km)
An improved time of 4:13.5 (4.7s faster than their morning run) placed them 3rd again, narrowly edged out by Lefebvre/Portier, who again topped the time sheets.
Stage 6 – Wijtschate 2 (12.92km)
Although they couldn’t repeat their morning win, Paddon and Hudson were 2nd fastest (6:41.8), a massive 6.7s improvement on their first pass. Belgians Freddy Loix and Pieter Tsjoen, masters of these stages, edged them by 1.3 seconds.
Stage 7 – Reninge 2 (13.08km)
Another step forward saw the pair post 7:14.2—4.2 seconds faster than their previous effort. Despite finishing 3rd, they were just 1.5s behind Lefebvre and ahead of many seasoned tarmac specialists.
Stage 8 – Langemark 2 (8.61km)
Paddon and Hudson ended the day on a high with a 4:31.0—4.1s faster than their morning attempt and just 0.4s behind the flying French-Belgian pairing of Lefebvre and Portier.
Day 1 Standings:
After eight closely fought stages, Paddon and Hudson head into Day 2 atop the overall leaderboard, proving they are not just guests in Belgium; they’re in contention for the rally win.
“Leading overnight at Ypres after 8 good stages today. Very enjoyable and the car is working well, but it’s a super close fight, with Freddy Loix (11 time winner of this rally) and Stephane Lefebvre (last years winner). But there is a long way to go, with 10 challenging but fun stages ahead tomorrow.” said Paddon
Top 5:
| Position | Driver / Co-Driver | Car | Gap |
| 1st | Hayden Paddon / Jared Hudson | Hyundai i20 N Rally2 | 45:40.7 |
| 2nd | Freddy Loix / Pieter Tsjoen | Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 | +3.8s |
| 3rd | Stéphane Lefebvre / Xavier Portier | Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 | +5.3s |
| 4th | Jos Verstappen / Jamoul Renaud | Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 | +14.3s |
| 5th | Davy Vanneste / Denis Squedin | Citroën C3 Rally2 | +20.4s |
The stage is set for a fierce Day 2 showdown, with four top teams within 20 seconds of each other and ten stages still to run.
The rally resumes with Stages 9–18 across Saturday (local time), kicking off at 8:14 pm NZT.
With unpredictable Belgian weather always lurking and the stakes raised, Paddon and Hudson will need to combine speed with caution to fend off the local favourites and international talent breathing down their necks.
Header Image: Hayden Paddon (Facebook)
