New Zealand's Hayden Paddon will make the big step up to the World Rally Championship. He has been given a drive in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC in Spain due this in October 2013.

His co-driver is John Kennard and they will compete for the Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team, running in full factory colours as part of the M-Sport team. This is a first for the Kiwi driver competing in a full world rally car and he becomes the first New Zealander to drive in a new generation WRC car.
 
Paddon explained that he was excited about the prospect of a full WRC drive with the M-Sport Team and is focused on making the most from this opportunity. He also said that he didn’t want this to be a one off event but rather he is keen to make this his career.
 

The Skoda Fabia Super 2000

Paddon and his team have been working hard for an opportunity like this and what seems to have given him the chance was the performance in the WRC Rally of Australia where Paddon set faster times than some of the other WRC competitors in his less powerful Super 2000-Spec Skoda Fabia.

​

The Ford Fiesta turbo

Paddon is planning to test the 1.6L turbo-charged Fiesta on both metal and asphalt surfaces prior to the 24 to 27 October event.

Competing in Spain will give Paddon valuable experience, but he also hopes to record some top five stage times along the way by being aggressive. He wants some of the top five stage positions but also wants to make sure he finishes the rally and gain the experience.

The plan for Paddon is to be a full time driver in a WRC car for 2014 so competing in a Fiesta RS WRC with such a respected team as M-Sport gives him that chance.
 
October 2013