Hayden Paddon facts for kids
Hayden Paddon at the 2015 Rally Poland
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  New Zealander |
| Born | 20 April 1987 Geraldine, New Zealand |
| World Rally Championship record | |
| Active years | 2007–2019, 2022 |
| Co-driver | John Kennard Sebastian Marshall |
| Teams | Hyundai World Rally Team, M-Sport World Rally Team, Pirelli Star Driver |
| Rallies | 82 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Rally wins | 1 |
| Podiums | 8 |
| Stage wins | 38 |
| Total points | 414 |
| First rally | 2007 Rally New Zealand |
| First win | 2016 Rally Argentina |
| Last win | 2016 Rally Argentina |
| Last rally | 2022 Rally New Zealand |
Hayden Paddon (born on April 20, 1987) is a professional New Zealand rally driver. He became the PWRC (Production World Rally Championship) world champion in 2011. Hayden has also won the New Zealand Rally Championship many times: in 2008, 2009, 2013, 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
In 2023, he made history by becoming the first driver from outside Europe to win the European Rally Championship. He then won the European Rally Championship again in 2024. He also won the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship in 2024.
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Hayden Paddon's Racing Journey
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Hayden Paddon grew up around motorsport because his father, Chris, was also a rally driver. Hayden started his own racing journey in karting at a young age. He competed in his first rally when he was just 15 years old in 2002.
In 2006, Hayden began racing in the New Zealand Rally Championship. He drove a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII. That year, he won both the Junior and Rookie titles. In 2007, he made his first appearance in the World Rally Championship at his home event in New Zealand. He nearly won the New Zealand championship that year.
In 2008, Hayden won the New Zealand Rally Championship title. He also finished 13th overall in the World Rally Championship event in New Zealand.
Winning Scholarships and New Opportunities
In 2009, Hayden won the New Zealand Rally Championship again. He also won the Pacific Cup. He then qualified for the Pirelli Star Driver Asia-Pacific final at the 2009 Rally Australia. Hayden was the fastest driver on the first day, which meant he won the Pirelli Star Driver scholarship. This scholarship gave him money to compete in six events of the 2010 World Rally Championship season.
Hayden finished ninth overall in that event, beating many regular PWRC drivers. He also won a $50,000 scholarship from Rally of New Zealand. This extra money helped him compete in a full PWRC season in 2010.
In 2010, Hayden won the PWRC category at Rally New Zealand. He finished 14th overall in his own Evo IX car. He then placed third and second in PWRC at Rally Finland and Rallye Deutschland.
Becoming a World Champion
In 2011, Hayden competed in a full PWRC season, which included six rallies. He raced for his new team, New Zealand World Rally Team. In a surprising move, Hayden switched to a Subaru car for the 2011 season. He had usually driven Mitsubishis before.
Hayden's 2011 season was a huge success. He won four rallies in a row: Portugal, Argentina, Finland, and Australia. Because of these wins, he became the 2011 P-WRC Champion.
In 2012, Hayden moved to the S-WRC championship. He drove a Škoda Fabia S2000. After finishing fourth in Sweden, he won his first S-WRC rally in Portugal. Many drivers, including Hayden, faced car problems in that race.
First WRC Wins and Podiums
In 2014, Hayden Paddon achieved his first stage win in the World Rally Championship during the Rally Catalunya in Spain.
In 2015, Hayden led a WRC event for the first time at the Rally d'Italia. He was the first New Zealander to lead a World Rally Championship event outside of New Zealand. He finished second overall in that rally, behind Sébastien Ogier.
In 2016, at the YPF Rally Argentina, Hayden achieved his first ever WRC win. He won by 13.3 seconds over Sébastien Ogier. His co-driver, John Kennard, became the oldest co-driver to win a WRC round at 57 years old.
Challenges and New Ventures
At the start of the 2017 season, Hayden had an incident at the 2017 Monte Carlo Rally. Although his car was not badly damaged, the Hyundai team decided to withdraw him from the rally out of respect. Before the Portugal rally, Hayden's long-time co-driver, John Kennard, had to retire due to an injury. He was replaced by Sebastian Marshall from the UK. Hayden had a challenging season overall, but he still managed to get two podium finishes in Poland and Australia.
In October 2020, Hayden Paddon and Hyundai New Zealand showed off one of the world's first electric vehicle (EV) rally cars. It was based on the Hyundai Kona. Hayden also organized and won the first Ben Nevis Station Golden 1200 hillclimbing event in Central Otago. He drove a special Hyundai i20 called the AP4++ with a powerful 800-horsepower engine.
In March 2022, Hayden Paddon teamed up with Hyundai New Zealand to enter a car into the WRC2 championship. He managed to win the WRC2 class in his home country, beating many international drivers.
In 2023, Hayden Paddon joined the Italian BRC Racing Team. With support from Hyundai New Zealand and Pirelli Tyres, he competed in the 2023 European Rally Championship. He won the first event of the season in Portugal. Hayden and John Kennard then worked hard to win their first European Rally Championship title. This made Hayden the first non-European driver to win this championship. Hayden also won the 2023 New Zealand Rally Championship.
In 2024, Hayden and John Kennard competed for another European Rally Championship title with the BRC Racing Team. They had a tough season but won their first and only rally of the year at Rali Ceredigion. Hayden successfully won back-to-back European Rally Championships. He also won the 2024 FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship with his new co-driver, Jared Hudson.
Hayden Paddon's WRC Victories
| # | Event | Season | Co-driver | Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  36° Rally Argentina |
2016 | John Kennard |
Hyundai i20 WRC |
Hayden Paddon's ERC Victories
| # | Event | Season | Co-Driver | Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Rally Serras de Fafe e Felgueiras |
2023 | John Kennard |
Hyundai i20 N Rally2 |
| 2 | Rali Ceredigion |
2024 | John Kennard |
Hyundai i20 N Rally2 |
See also
In Spanish: Hayden Paddon para niños
