Pirelli Star Paddon
hopes to shine
in Japan

The 23-year-old Pirelli Star Driver is blending his six-round FIA-run programme with a selection of his events in his own Mitsubishi Lancer. The New Zealander will be pressing his own car into action on the Sapporo-based event later this month in a bid to move up the P-WRC standings from his current third position.

Paddon said: “The result completely exceeded my expectations. We remain in third in the championship, but closed in on second-placed Patrik Flodin, who was third in Germany. However, we still have an extra nominated P-WRC round up our sleeve while the two drivers ahead of us - Armindo Araujo and Flodin - have already done four of their six nominated events. When we head to Rally Japan for our fourth P-WRC round we’ll be aiming for maximum points.”

Paddon added that he felt his German speed came partly from the chance to test his PSD Mitsubishi prior to the Trier event, offering him vital experience of asphalt - a surface on which he hadn’t competed before.

“The biggest thing we found [at the test] was the difference in performance between the hard and soft compound tyres,” said Paddon. “But it was also really useful time in the car on the new surface. As well as this, I had done some work in Britain with a driver trainer Rob Wilson. He helped me a lot, showing me how to get through corners the quickest way.”

Ahead of Rally Japan, Paddon’s Team Green Mitsubishi currently has a 100 per cent record in this year’s P-WRC, with the Kiwi having won his home round of the series back in May.

He and Kiwi co-driver John Kennard also won the International Rally of Whangarei, New Zealand’s round of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship.