Hayden Paddon delivered a measured drive to secure second place at Rally Paraguay, a result that feels like a victory for the New Zealander. Finishing 25.8 seconds behind rally winner Sami Pajari, Paddon led Hyundai's charge in an event riddled with drama and incidents.
This marks Paddon's second podium in four WRC starts this year, following a third-place finish in Croatia. What makes this result special is that it's his first runner-up finish since Rally Australia 2018, proving his long road back to the top of WRC is paying off.
Rally Paraguay was a brutal attrition battle. Many top contenders fell victim to punctures and incidents, leaving those who survived to play a strategic game. Paddon admitted he managed the rally carefully since Friday, keeping a gap to those behind him. "There's certainly more speed there, but it felt unnecessary to deliver that this weekend. We did our job, second is almost as good as a win, particularly with the journey we've been on," he said.
On the other side, Paddon's Hyundai teammate, Adrien Fourmaux, completed the podium with a remarkable comeback from a two-minute deficit, finishing 40 seconds behind Pajari. This result highlights Hyundai's strength on gravel, although Paddon admitted the car still feels a bit foreign to him. "The car's still a little bit foreign to me. There are things technically that could be better for me. The car's very good on gravel," he explained. He added that he learned a lot about the car during the rally compared to the pre-event test.
Paddon's contract with Hyundai this year was initially for three rallies, but his impressive performances in Monte Carlo, Croatia, and Japan earned him a spot in Paraguay. However, his future remains uncertain. There are still three rounds left in this year's WRC calendar, and Paddon has not been announced for any of them. Moreover, next year WRC will usher in a new era of regulations that Hyundai has not fully committed to yet.
Paddon reflected on his journey this season. "I wondered if people thought we'd been a bit of a guilt signing this year, especially after Monte Carlo. Then I was happy with the progress we made on tarmac and knew we'd been given a tough opportunity with the rallies we had. Off the back of that success, we obviously got the reward of this rally. We knew this was such an important rally, and I did a lot of preparation to do the best I could," he said. He also thanked Hyundai, his Kiwi supporters, and his PRG team back home, as well as John, his co-driver for 22 years. "We don't know what's next, but this has been one hell of a journey. He's an absolute legend," he praised.
After this rally, Paddon will return to action at the Ashley Forest Rallysprint on September 19-20, where he will target a new record in his AP4-spec Hyundai i20. But the big question about his future in WRC remains, and fans will surely hope to see him back in the world rally championship.
Baca Juga
Klasemen WRC 2026 setelah Rally Paraguay: Sami Pajari menang lagi dan memangkas jarak dengan Elfyn Evans, yang tetap memimpin dengan 20 poin. Hyundai menunda gelar Toyota.
Sami Pajari meraih kemenangan ketiga beruntun di WRC 2026 dengan menjuarai Rally Paraguay. Hasil ini memperketat persaingan dengan pemimpin klasemen Elfyn Evans.
Sami Pajari mencetak sejarah dengan tiga kemenangan WRC beruntun di Reli Paraguay. Evans tetap pimpin klasemen, Paddon dan Fourmaux bersinar.
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