Hyundai Motorsport confirms three-year contract with Hayden Paddon from 2016
• Hyundai Motorsport has signed a new three-year contract(2016~2018) with Hayden Paddon remaining with the team until 2018
• Hayden Paddon will contest all rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) from the 2016 Rallye Monte-Carlo alongside Thierry Neuville and Dani Sordo
• Hayden Paddon has taken his maiden WRC podium in 2015 WRC Rally d’Italia in June, twelve months on from his debut.
Oct. 20, 2015 - Hyundai Motorsport has announced it has signed a new three-year contract with Hayden Paddon that will see the popular New Zealander contest all rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) with the team from 2016.
Paddon, who initially joined Hyundai Motorsport for a six-rally campaign in 2014 and has been running an expanded programme of twelve WRC events this season, will step up to a full time role from Rallye Monte-Carlo in 2016 January alongside his co-driver John Kennard.
The 28-year-old was identified as a rising star in the rally world early in Hyundai Motorsport’s WRC programme with Hyundai recognising its responsibility as a manufacturer to support champions of the future.
Having made his debut as a Hyundai Motorsport driver at Rally d’Italia in June 2014, at the same event twelve months later Paddon led a WRC event for the first time and claimed his maiden WRC podium.
He has demonstrated utmost professionalism in all events with the team and proven to be a well-rounded, consistent and competitive World Rally driver. Most impressively, he has also shown a significant rate of progression from each rally to the next, and has five top-five results to his name so far this season.
Team Principal Michel Nandan commented: “I am delighted that we have been able to extend our partnership with Hayden for a further three years and to have him compete in all rounds of the WRC with us. Since he joined the team early last year, he has proven to be a worthy addition to our young team. He is consistent, quick and determined and with even more potential for growth. From the start of our WRC programme, we have wanted to support fresh, young talent and Hayden has shown just how successful this can be. I am personally looking forward to see what he can deliver over the next three years with Hyundai Motorsport.”
Hayden Paddon said: “I am very excited to sign with Hyundai Motorsport for a further three years. The two seasons with Hyundai Motorsport have been an amazing journey and we have grown a lot. The team has helped me to develop and based on the rate that we have progressed together I have no doubt we will be winning soon. We are all working and striving towards becoming World Champions and I firmly believe Hyundai Motorsport will offer me the best opportunity to achieve that goal. First and foremost, though, we must target our first rally victory and that is my personal target for 2016.”
-Ends-
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
-v1.jpg)
