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Hyundai Motorsport announces that Hayden Paddon will drive
for the Hyundai Shell WRT at Rally Australia
- Hyundai Motorsport is fighting for second place in the FIA World Rally Championship
- Hayden Paddon brings strong recent form on gravel along with experience of the unique challenges of his “home” rally having driven the Hyundai i20 WRC there last year
- Dani Sordo will build up his experience at the Coffs Harbour based rally - where he has never competed before – with the #20 Hyundai i20 WRC.
August 10, 2015 – The Hyundai Motorsport team has revealed that Hayden Paddon will drive alongside Thierry Neuville in the Hyundai Shell World Rally Team at Rally Australia, round 10 of the 2015 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC).
The team is in a close battle for second place in the Manufacturers Championship where every point counts, and with Paddon’s recent experience of the unique event and his strong run of form on gravel, it is felt that this driver combination offers the highest probability of good points. Paddon, with co-driver John Kennard, will take over the #8 Hyundai i20 WRC for what is almost a home rally for the pairing, alongside Thierry Neuville (#7 Hyundai i20 WRC). Dani Sordo will swap to the #20 Hyundai i20 WRC for this rally before returning to the #8 car for the Tour de Corse in October.
Team Principal Michel Nandan said: “We are in tight fight for second in the Manufacturers Championship with just a few points separating us from Citroen. After careful consideration we have agreed that adapting momentarily our line-up offers us the best chance to secure the points we need on this unique and challenging event. Hayden is very familiar with the rally and after his recent strong performances on gravel he is more than capable of supporting us in this battle. Dani did not compete in Australia in the last few years – and he never took part in the Coffs Harbour based event - so he has less experience of the particular demands of this rally. Meanwhile he still takes this opportunity with the #20 to get to know the stages and build his experience. He will be back in the #8 car at the Tour de Corse.”
Paddon said: “I’m very pleased that the team has faith in me but at the end of the day it is just a car number change for me. I will have the same approach to the rally as always but this time I will be happy to challenge for points that can help the team in the Manufacturer standings.”
Sordo said: “We spoke about it together as a team after Rally Finland and I know we all need to push in the same direction to secure a good result at end of the season in the Manufacturers’ Championship. I look forward to discovering the stages around Coffs Harbour and to getting a feeling for this unique event.”
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About Hyundai Motorsport GmbH
Established on 19 December 2012, Hyundai Motorsport GmbH is responsible for Hyundai’s global motorsport activities and primarily for its World Rally Championship programme. Based in Alzenau on the outskirts of Frankfurt in Germany, the company embarked on its debut season in the FIA World Rally Championship in 2014 with a bespoke team of skilled staff and a brand new car, the Hyundai i20 WRC. The team made a strong impression in its first year claiming podium results in Mexico and Poland, as well as a memorable 1-2 in Germany with Thierry Neuville and Dani Sordo. 2015 is Hyundai Motorsport’s second season in WRC and the team aims to build on the firm foundations laid in its maiden year of competition.
Further information about Hyundai Motorsport is available at: http://motorsport.hyundai.com
About Hyundai Motor Company
Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is committed to becoming a lifetime partner in automobiles and beyond. The company, which leads the Hyundai Motor Group, an innovative business structure capable of circulating resources from molten iron to finished cars, offers top-quality best-sellers such as Elantra, Sonata and Genesis. Hyundai Motor has eight manufacturing bases and seven design & technical centers worldwide and in 2014, sold 4.96 million vehicles globally. With almost 100,000 employees worldwide, Hyundai Motor continues to enhance its product line-up with localized models and strives to strengthen its leadership in clean technology, starting with the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen-powered vehicle, ix35 Fuel Cell.
More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at: http://worldwide.hyundai.com or http://www.hyundaiglobalnews.com
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