Hayden Paddon

[GravelBen]

Congratulations NOT, for once I like one of your posts!

[dimviii]

Hayden Paddon ‏@HaydenPaddon

This was my office today - 120 laps in a GT car developing my Tarmac driving with Nicholas Bernadi #goodday #fast

[Andre Oliveira]

Hayden today:

“ I will make one single post here about the current situation and our feelings, as for too long we have said nothing and tried to do the right thing. Firstly, happy for Craig and I wish him all the best for the rally.

I will point out all the talk that we turned down the offer of a 1 Rally drive with Hyundai is not correct and was blown out of proportion from media speculation. Originally there was talk of this when we first got news of no seat for 2019 last December, and at the time emotion was raw after being left high and dry. However nothing was formally discussed. Since February we have actively been in communication to be involved with the team in any role - testing, 1 off rallies (Finland).....anything. My passion is still very high for WRC and I feel I’m at my prime at present. I know the car well and was prepared to jump straight in and do a good job for the team.

So naturally you can understand we are very upset. I have given my life to this brand in everything I do. Our NZ business, our NZ Hyundai partnership, purchase of a TCR car, everything we possibly could do! And yet we were not even spoken to about this event despite us offering our services several times. Since we did our last rally in Australia, we have had very little communication from them - no acknowledgment of our time with them, no formal thank you, no heads up on the future.

I will say through all this, how much we appreciate the unconditional support from Hyundai NZ and how much they have my back. They fully support all our comments. Many people say we need to cut our ties – well, think of it this way, do you cut your ties for a couple of years in the WRC vs a potential lifetime partnership in this part of the world? It’s never as straightforward as most people think.

Big thanks to all your support. Means a lot. Again I stress this is nothing against Craig, I have nothing but respect for him and it’s only natural you take what opportunities you can.”

[nafpaktos]

Autosport wrote that he turned down the one off rally?

[the sniper]

Autosport wrote that he turned down the one off rally?

He says that isn't correct, but then seems to admit there was talk of that... Seems like he turned it down when "emotion was raw", "however nothing was formally discussed".

I will point out all the talk that we turned down the offer of a 1 Rally drive with Hyundai is not correct and was blown out of proportion from media speculation. Originally there was talk of this when we first got news of no seat for 2019 last December, and at the time emotion was raw after being left high and dry. However nothing was formally discussed. Since February we have actively been in communication”

[racerx1979]

As I said in the other thread many of the WRC folks can care less about his TCR and allegiance to Hyundai NZ... I feel sorry for Hayden, but it seems like he needs to move on from Hyundai at this point

[GravelBen]

He says that isn't correct, but then seems to admit there was talk of that... Seems like he turned it down when "emotion was raw", "however nothing was formally discussed".

I took those comments to mean there was unofficial discussion but when it came to making it official the team didn't follow through on what they had said informally.

[deephouse]

As I said in the other thread many of the WRC folks can care less about his TCR and allegiance to Hyundai NZ... I feel sorry for Hayden, but it seems like he needs to move on from Hyundai at this point

He is building a lifetime career with Hyundai NZ. No WRC season or few outings with other manu is worth of risking that. He will never be payed like crying baby does so that's why he is working hard to maintin realtionship with them. He admitted that he will not leave them.

[denkimi]

He is building a lifetime career with Hyundai NZ. No WRC season or few outings with other manu is worth of risking that. He will never be payed like crying baby does so that's why he is working hard to maintin realtionship with them. He admitted that he will not leave them.

I'm not familiar with the rallying scene in NZ, but i don't see how he could build any kind of career with anyone by winning a few local rally's against nobody.

He was of marketing value to hyundai NZ because he was a wrc driver. But such value quickly fades away. In a few years he will have no more value to them, and that will be the end.

[AnttiL]

I'm not familiar with the rallying scene in NZ, but i don't see how he could build any kind of career with anyone by winning a few local rally's against nobody..

It's not about his personal driving, it's about his own team and other businesses in NZ.