Confirmed
Paddon secures Hyundai WRC gravel drive in Paraguay
Hayden Paddon will drive for Hyundai Motorsport at the upcoming World Rally Championship round in Paraguay, marking his first gravel start since 2018.
Hyundai Motorsport has confirmed that Hayden Paddon will take over the third Rally1 car for the upcoming World Rally Championship round in Paraguay, marking his first gravel start in the top tier since 2018, according to Autosport.
Paddon's Return to Gravel
Paddon, a New Zealander, has been part of Hyundai's rotating third driver lineup for the 2026 season, alongside Dani Sordo and Finnish driver Esapekka Lappi, according to Autosport. His previous appearances this season have been on asphalt surfaces, including Monte Carlo, Croatia, and Japan. Despite this, Paddon has publicly expressed a desire to compete on gravel, a surface where he typically excels.
Hyundai's decision follows a review after this past weekend's Rally Finland, a decision-making process which saw Lappi piloting the third car for the Finnish event. Paddon's best result this season was a third-place finish achieved during the Croatian asphalt rally.
Paraguay Challenge Awaits
The Rally Paraguay takes place between August 27-30. This forthcoming event represents a significant opportunity for Paddon to demonstrate his capabilities on his preferred surface. Hyundai Motorsport is yet to announce the driver for the subsequent WRC round in Chile, which will follow the Paraguay rally.
Driver Perspective
Paddon shared his enthusiasm for the upcoming opportunity, stating, “Beyond excited and incredibly grateful to be heading back to the WRC, this time on gravel, and back to a part of the world that holds so many special memories for us”. He also acknowledged the significant challenge, adding, “We’re under no illusions about the size of the challenge ahead. Jumping back into Rally1 on gravel against the best in the world won’t be easy, but we’ll make the most of this opportunity and give it absolutely everything we’ve got”. Paddon further conveyed his gratitude to the team, saying, “A huge thank you to Hyundai Motorsport for believing in us and giving us this chance. I never thought we’d be back on gravel in the main game, so this is one we’ll truly appreciate. Now it’s time to get to work”.
Status And Sources
This story is labelled Confirmed, which means the people involved have said this on the record. The rules behind those labels are in the editorial policy, and the desk that published it is Sanni Koskela.
Written from the following reporting. Each link goes to the newsroom's own page, not to an aggregator:
- Autosportautosport.com
- Motorsport.commotorsport.com
