Hayden Paddon has confirmed he will be making an appearance at the Coffs Coast Rally in Australia later on this year.
The event will be host to the final round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) as well as the RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Championship (ARC) which Paddon will be taking part in alongside regular co-driver John Kennard in a Hyundai.
A successful three-win stint in the 2022 New Zealand Rally Championship earlier this year before he took on his FIA WRC2 campaign in Europe sees the Kiwi qualify for the APRC rally at Coffs Coast in November.
Before he heads to Australia for the event, Paddon will take part in Rali Ceredigion in Wales alongside New Zealander Jarod Hudson as his co-driver for the British Rally Championship round. Hudson sat beside Paddon in the South Canterbury Rally earlier this year, winning the event.
Paddon will also be taking part in the upcoming Repco Rally New Zealand event at the end of September before the APRC round.
“It’s been a very busy program in 2022 as we’ve got a few projects on the go, but I guess we’ve got this nice luxury of having three cars at our disposal, so it’s all hands-on deck,” Paddon said speaking with ARC.
Paddon last visited Coffs Coast in 2018 after competing in seven rally events in the years prior. The Kiwi picked up two WRC podiums there in 2017 and 2018.
“I’ve always enjoyed the Coffs Coast roads – it’s always been one of my favourite rounds of the WRC,” Paddon said.
“With this year being in late November instead of September like when we used to do it, I’m expecting it to be a warm rally, which means there will put a lot more pressure and stress on the cars, components, cooling system and tyre wear.
“It does change the dynamics of the rally a little bit but, nothing we can’t handle. It does mean that we must consider it with our planning.”
The Coffs Coast Rally will be held from 25 to 27 of November, 2022.
Main image: Jaanus Ree
