Hayden Paddon will return to action with John Kennard for Rally Islas Canarias this weekend, looking to extend his lead in the European Rally Championship.
Paddon, with co-driver Kennard, will again take to the wheel of BRC Racing’s Hyundai i20 N Rally2 over the 13-stage, 190km route on the Canary Islands.
“It’s an honour to head to Rally Canarias with #1 on the car, but like the previous round, [there’s] a hugely competitive field. But I’m looking forward to the challenge and getting a good feeling with the car on Tarmac,” says Paddon.
It’ll be the Kiwi duo’s first time competing at the event, one which they’d initially planned to skip as one of their drop rounds.
Frequent climbs and descents over abrasive sealed surfaces, partly constructed from volcanic lava, create high levels of grip for what’s expected to be a fast-paced rally.
“From what I have seen, Rally Islas Canarias looks like a beautiful rally, and I can’t wait,” said the 36-year-old.
Paddon currently leads the ERC, having hunted down Mikko Heikkilä at the season-opening Rally Serras de Fafe in March. Since that victory, Paddon has also gone on to win Rally Otago for the tenth time and finish fifth in Rally Regione Piemonte.
Rally Islas Canarias begins on Friday (8.05 am NZ time) with the 1.8km long Super Special Stage, before six Special Stages on each of Friday and Saturday.
The event will be live-streamed on WRC+ with a paid premium subscription, with live timings able to be followed on the European Rally Championship website.
Keep an eye out for Friday’s Motorsport Diary for further information on event times.
Header Image: European Rally Championship
