Paddon heads to ERC title defence in Poland
New Zealand rally star Hayden Paddon has set himself up with a winning mindset, taking victory in the one-day Rally Bay of Plenty on 5 September, round five of the 2024 New Zealand Rally Championship, before heading to Poland for the final FIA European Rally Championship event where the goal is to win his second ERC title with John Kennard next weekend.
BRC Racing Team crew head to Rally Silesia as the eighth and final round of this year’s ERC taking place 11 to 14 October in and around Katowice, the capital city of the Silesian province in southern Poland. The all-tarmac event comprises a super special stage on the Friday in Katowice, eight stages (96.74 km) on Saturday and six stages (81.56km) on Sunday.
Paddon and co-driver John Kennard lead their respective drivers’ and co-drivers’ championships with 131 points, 27 points ahead of the second-place pairing of Mathieu Franceschi and Andy Malfoy.
“John and I are very excited to be heading to Poland with BRC Racing with just one goal in mind – to do what we have to do to win the championship. The calculations vary depending on what Mathieu Franceschi, our closest rival, does and also who wins what power stage points. But our focus is worrying about our own performance, and a top five result would put all those calculations out the window and allow us to be in control of our own destiny.”
Rally Silesia is part of the ERC for the first time and Paddon will face a diverse range of challengers on the demanding Polish stages, known for their fast roads and challenging conditions. His experience and skill will be crucial as he aims to secure points and maintain his position in the title race: “We have been to Rally Poland several times as a gravel rally, but never a tarmac rally like it is this year, so it’s a new experience for us. The local competitors have good experience of the stages, and they will play a factor in the championship points for the round”.
Rally fans are eagerly anticipating this event, as Paddon’s performance in Poland will significantly impact his chances of retaining the ERC crown. With a mixture of strategic driving and experience, Paddon will look to capitalize on his strengths: “We will prepare for the rally in the same way we do for any other rally and stick to our tactics of driving at a good pace.”
BRC Racing Team Principal Gabriele Rizzo says:“We are all really committed to prepare our last event of the FIA ERC and finalize the hard work done so far. Rally Silesia will be again a great challenge, like all the ERC events this year. It’s a brand new rally for all of us. The homework on the info available are still ongoing and will be crucial to reduce the gap of knowledge to the local drivers. Our event focus is obviously to bring the second title home, but rally is a sport that leave everything open till the last meter of the last special stage, so we need to approach this weekend with the usual humble and respect trying to offer another solid and smart performance, achieving minimum a top five positions, that will allow us to conquer our second FIA ERC title in a row without the need to look at the final result of the main competitor.”