Paddon completes rally objective

Hayden Paddon says returning to the FIA World Rally Championship has been one of the toughest experiences of his motorsport career.

The Kiwi and co-driver John Kennard finished 11th at the Rallye Monte-Carlo on January 25, which was their first appearance in the WRC since 2018.

The pair, representing the Hyundai World Rally Team, had slipped to 13th on the penultimate day of the event that marked the opening of the 2026 championship.

Paddon is set to compete in up to five of the competition’s 14 races this season and was pleased to have completed the Rally Monte-Carlo. 

“This whole experience has been one of the toughest of my life, both mentally and professionally,” he says.

“To back yourself, to not run away from the ultimate challenge, and to step back into conditions as demanding as these while learning a new car from scratch has been humbling in every sense. 

“We had our setbacks over the weekend, but our clear objective was to get to the end – and we achieved that.

“While I’m relieved one of the most difficult Monte Carlo rallies in recent years is behind us, I’m incredibly proud that we took on this challenge head-on. It feels like a weight has been lifted from the shoulders, and now the focus can shift to building performance and taking the next step at the upcoming events.”

Sweden’s Oliver Solberg and British co-driver Elliot Edmondson won the opening round for Toyota Gazoo Racing.

Toyota completed a clean sweep of the podium after Elfyn Evans of Wales finished second overall and France’s Sebastien Ogier was third.

The championship resumes with Rally Sweden on February 12-15.