Hyundai's intensive testing program in Central Finland continued with a notable shift in the team's driver lineup for the development of their rally machinery. After piloting the car earlier in the week, Kris Meeke departed from Finland to compete in the upcoming European Rally Championship (ERC) round in Portugal, leaving his testing duties to a seasoned star.
Stepping into the cockpit to take over the testing duties is Hayden Paddon, who has contested four WRC rounds this year utilizing the manufacturer's third Rally1 entry. The absolute highlight of his campaign this season was a remarkable second-place finish at Rally Paraguay, demonstrating his enduring pace at the highest level of world rallying.
The New Zealander boasts a long and established history as a factory driver for the brand, having competed for the squad from its initial entry into the WRC back in 2014 through the 2018 season, after which his tenure in the top tier came to a temporary close.
Following his departure from the premier class, he continued his career competing in his homeland aboard the i20 N Rally2, backed strongly by the manufacturer's official New Zealand importer network.
He achieved massive international success with the machinery through the 2023 and 2024 seasons by claiming the European rally championship title in both consecutive years, marking a historic milestone as the series had never previously been conquered by a driver hailing from outside of Europe.
Read Also
Simak persiapan Vatanen menghadapi debut mobil Rally2 di atas kerikil pada seri penutup ERC Portugal. Baca analisis mendalam di sini!
Simak analisis lengkap evaluasi masa depan Martins Sesks di WRC 2027 dan nilai program Rally1 bersama M-Sport. Baca selengkapnya di Sportrik!
Lancia incar Teemu Suninen untuk musim 2027 usai raih gelar WRC2. Baca analisis mendalam mengenai masa depan pabrikan Italia ini di sini.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!