2024 WRC News & Rumours

[deephouse]

He was great for Hyundai. He beat Ogier straight and by quite a margin at that Argentinian rally. Then he had that off in Monte, and a fan died. He couldn't do anything about it. His career started to fall off. Then he was out, and he tried to get back, his chances were reduced because of the covid situation too. It gets even harder... He tried with Ford on one rally, and he crashed the car on a test and it was the last nail in the coffin. Since then he wasn't even considered at all... Despite being so loyal to the Hyundai brand, he actually did great marketing on a probably shitty rally2 car. And for so long now, of course, with the help of Hyundai NZ, think that the whole motorsport department didn't care too much or even bother because the team is completely private. They rather ''try'' to invest in Sunine and Lindholm and we see where their careers went with some random team, despite him being so loyal and practically the only one who could do impossible. If I'm not mistaken, Meeke is next, who is doing a good job, but it's not his story... Paddon does have a successful project in the EV department which even the official motorsport company didn't achieve till this day, despite their blabering about the whole situation. We don't know what Nandan and Adamo did or he did, so he isn't considered at all. And I think that Cyril barely knows the guy. The last thing I caught this year was, that he got a shot at an old spec WRC rally car he drove at Goodwood Speed Festival and that's it.

My opinion is that they should hire him to attack WRC2 officially, but I think they realize how the car is not capable of winning so they don't bother. I think that they admit in some articles that on a national level, the car is decent or is capable of fighting for a win or a podium, but not on a world stage... But clearly, that's not true... ERC has a tough field everywhere, I think that more than WRC2 (because of regs, the guys are avoiding most of the direct fights).

So shame, I guess.

If I were him, I would go for a Toyota Rally2 program. The brand has the best sales in the country and he could convince some bosses at least for that program. He would do a great market on a national level or even more. Sorry for the language but fu*k Hyundai.

[Rallyper]

Ford don't even fully-fund their existing WRC team (M-Sport), so there's no chance of a Ford importer in NZ paying for a Paddon Rally1 drive.

This was the best they could do, sponsoring local AP4 Fiesta on their home rally...

https://www.ford.co.nz/about-ford/ne...s-sponsorship/

Yeah. Know all that. But there should be a but...
Market shares is another.
One small bit of selling cars (not all, as been discussed here before) is rallying. Even in NZ. I´m not saying Ford importer neither should pay. Maybe some, but Ford as a whole world wide company could be on the toes... MSport themselves are doing well without Ford backing 100%...

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Nice comments on Paddon, he's a top driver and been super-impressive in the ERC.

Also some good ideas... in theory. However he's so hugely connected to Hyundai NZ that he has to go back there all the time for his business, plus also compete in the NZRC. So that means WRC (Rally1 or Rally2) is a non-starter now. His time and chance has been and gone.

[Eli]

He was great for Hyundai. He beat Ogier straight and by quite a margin at that Argentinian rally. Then he had that off in Monte, and a fan died. He couldn't do anything about it. His career started to fall off. Then he was out, and he tried to get back, his chances were reduced because of the covid situation too. It gets even harder... He tried with Ford on one rally, and he crashed the car on a test and it was the last nail in the coffin. Since then he wasn't even considered at all... Despite being so loyal to the Hyundai brand, he actually did great marketing on a probably shitty rally2 car. And for so long now, of course, with the help of Hyundai NZ, think that the whole motorsport department didn't care too much or even bother because the team is completely private. They rather ''try'' to invest in Sunine and Lindholm and we see where their careers went with some random team, despite him being so loyal and practically the only one who could do impossible. If I'm not mistaken, Meeke is next, who is doing a good job, but it's not his story... Paddon does have a successful project in the EV department which even the official motorsport company didn't achieve till this day, despite their blabering about the whole situation. We don't know what Nandan and Adamo did or he did, so he isn't considered at all. And I think that Cyril barely knows the guy. The last thing I caught this year was, that he got a shot at an old spec WRC rally car he drove at Goodwood Speed Festival and that's it.

My opinion is that they should hire him to attack WRC2 officially, but I think they realize how the car is not capable of winning so they don't bother. I think that they admit in some articles that on a national level, the car is decent or is capable of fighting for a win or a podium, but not on a world stage... But clearly, that's not true... ERC has a tough field everywhere, I think that more than WRC2 (because of regs, the guys are avoiding most of the direct fights).

So shame, I guess.

If I were him, I would go for a Toyota Rally2 program. The brand has the best sales in the country and he could convince some bosses at least for that program. He would do a great market on a national level or even more. Sorry for the language but fu*k Hyundai.

Just want to add, he also was supposed to have an opportunity with M-Sport for Rally Australia 2019 (if my memory serves me right) but the bushfires (remember that?) made sure to extinguish his chances, and like you said Covid didn’t do anyone any good (and indirectly) so did a certain French mark leaving the WRC at the end of 2019. Lots of what might have been and could have been but like many here said, sadly it wasn’t to be. With that in mind, still curious as for who will be the third driver for Hyundai next year and if we’ll see them at the start line for 2027.

[Morte66]

I think the only hope for Paddon is that cyril@hyundai might be interested in a reliable third driver who finishes every rally, rather than Adamo's rotation to exploit road position. And Paddon is one of two drivers to finish every rally in ERC so far this year.

I think the problem with Hyundai is that they don't just need "a reliable driver" or a "tarmac driver" or whatever, they need someone who clicks with their tricky WRC1 car. And I think the only way they can get that is by giving a lot of people trials to see what happens. And they don't seem like long-term planners.

[deephouse]

We all know that the team doesn't want to give many opportunities (or long ones to build up experience). They just want straight results. And Paddon not even driving these new cars it's much harder to get him on board. But he could surprise like Sesks and Pajari. I know he has lots of experience and is way older (he is in those years like Neuville, Tanak, and Evans pack, at the last stages of their career). But as Toyota did with 5 cars in Finland, why the hell did Hyundai not give him at least one outing his year, so they would at least see, where he is. That way they would have Mikkelsen, Lappi, Sordo, Paddon, Solberg, Sesks, and Fourmaux in consideration for next year.

Regarding of finishing every rally. He did mention some time ago, that he does realize, that he doesn't need to win everything, just being there. That brings him an ERC crown and this year it's looking like he will get another.

[AE1WRC]

Paddon is one of the most reliable drivers you can find on the world. Sure 2017 season was not part of that but 2018( not to mention 2016) season was quite okay in terms of speed and consistency combined. If Hyundai wants to go for the manufacture title, they better grab a driver who is consistently bringing points as a third driver. We know Sordo is there but he is at the very end of his career, Mikkelsen is reliable (he is not bad in terms of reliability especially in recent years) but his speed is unpredictable in Rally1 so far (I know that with Paddon we cannot guess what he can do with Rally1 yet but I find Hayden to be more versatile than Andreas). Of course, at the end of the day you would want to invest in young guns but if the experienced drivers are still available and doing good things I still prefer the latter since experience is something that you can't buy. Hyundai at the moment does not have a consistent third driver (apart from Dani who is not even doing half of a season). We know Lappi is a good driver, but this season is not what he wanted apart from his win in Sweden and during his whole career he has had huge problems with consistency despite having a solid speed.

IMO, Fourmaux is a perfect choice as a third driver for Hyundai. He has the tools for it and can do good things in every surface.

[mknight]

I think Mikkelsen was a Nandan signing for 2018-2019 (remember the 2 year full time drive contract dispute?). Adamo went for rotation in 2019, with Sordo and Loeb in 2019, then in 2020 they got WDC Tanak, Loeb and Neuville and there were fewer seats without Citroen. Paddon is a top driver, but not shifting these guys or the plethora of available 3rd drivers since.

At end of 2018 Mikkelsen had 1 year left of his contract and Paddons contract was ending. Someone (I believe still Nandan, but maybe Adamo) signed Loeb who just won Catalunya in C3.
Kinda hard to argue about that.

Paddon wanted to run 2019 Finland and Australia on own money, crashed in pre-event test in Finland and Australia was cancelled. One could argue that Hyundai could have used Paddon in Finland in 3rd car but Adamo went for Breen instead. Which led to some-mini outrage among many.
Then COVID happened and he was just not in Europe to run rallies.

When he came back he took basically a year to get to decent speed and even now while good he is not significantly better than many Rally2 drivers, from Solberg and Pajari to even Greensmith and Gryazin. Hard to say how much of that is the car.

[Fitz]

Re Paddon (who I have a lot of respect for) I believe his ex gf is now with Neuville.
Not sure of the timings or if there was an overlap.

[drive]

Re Paddon (who I have a lot of respect for) I believe his ex gf is now with Neuville.
Not sure of the timings or if there was an overlap.

not true - from the 2018 article:

'Paddon parted ways with his fiancée Katie Lane after a 10-year relationship. The marketing manager from Napier had been Paddon's co-driver in life - organising and promoting his career from their base in Frankfurt.'

'Lane married Thomas Villette a PR Manager for Hyundai in Europe'

Source https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/mot...MJC4INM34H7HE/

and Neuville became a father on July 8, 2019, as he and his girlfriend Déborah Ghys welcomed their daughter, Camille - no conection to this rumour at all