Kiwi rally driver Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard will challenge for their seventh New Zealand Rally Championship in 2023. Competing in their Hyundai i20 Rally2 that won WRC2 at Rally New Zealand.
Following a successful opening round of the European Rally Championship at Rally Portugal last weekend. The team will use the dual campaigns in identical cars to further develop the Hyundai package on both sides of the globe. Hyundai New Zealand rally have been working hard to extract more over the off-season and are excited to see how it compares to a strong field at Rally Otago in two weeks’ time.
Though the Hyundai i20 AP4 won’t be seen on the New Zealand championship stages this season, it will still be an essential piece of the team’s season. It is beginning with the New Zealand Goldstar Hillclimb Championships this weekend. Having been the most successful car in New Zealand rally history, the AP4 is special in Hyundai NZ Rally’s history.
The opening round at Otago will be a tough battle with plenty of kiwis and Australians competing at the popular event. Supported by Winmax Brake Pads the 69-car NZRC and all-comers field will line up at Dunedin’s Octagon on March 31st, before two days of action over April 1st and 2nd.
