Cromwell rally driver Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard (Christchurch) have put their names in world motorsport history books, becoming the first New Zealanders to win the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) title.

The New Zealanders secured the 2023 ERC title at the championship’s seventh round in the Czech Republic, Barum Czech Rally Zlin on August 19-20.

Despite collecting a tree on the ninth stage and having to retire from the event, Paddon was able to win the title with one round to go thanks to the 55-point championship lead he had over second-placed Martin Sesks (Latvia) going into the rally. 

ERC regulations state that competitors must drop their worst result for the final calculation of championship points. 

Paddon’s retirement from the rally made it the result to drop and put the onus on Sesks to earn at least 20 points in Czechia to stay in with a chance for the title at October’s final ERC round in Hungary. 

In the end, Sesks’ final position of twelfth was not enough to change Paddon’s opportunity to add the ERC title to his achievements as New Zealand’s most successful rally driver.

Paddon said the rally was always going to be tough, being his first time on the roads around Zlin and up against highly experienced locals like Jan Kopecky who won the rally by 23.4 seconds for the eleventh time.

“This rally can’t be underestimated and while, in the end, it didn’t go quite as we’d have liked, we’ve learned a lot and if we can come back next year, we’d be in a much stronger position than we were when we started here this year.

“Sure, it wasn’t quite how we planned to secure the title, but in terms of championship wins this is our biggest achievement so far. It’s a season’s worth of work, not just one rally, here in Europe and back at home with both team and for John and me. 

John Kennard and Hayden Paddon (both in red, at centre) with their team. PHOTO: Supplied 

“We’re proud to bring this one home and it’s the result of six really good ERC rallies in a row. That puts us in a good position to have a bad round, so all in all, looking at the season as a whole, we can be proud of the results.”

Paddon thanked BRC Racing for working non-stop on the car’s development this season.

“They’ve been incredible to work with. Thanks also to John who’s made a big commitment to be part of this and our sponsors and fans back home. It’s an awesome result for everyone involved and hopefully it’s something we can build on in the future.”

Paddon now returns to New Zealand for the fourth round of the New Zealand Rally Championship in the Manawatu, the Ashley Forest Rallysprint and the Waimate Horsepower Hillclimb.