Paddon gets three- year deal with Hyundai
Hyundai Motorsport has signed Hayden Paddon on a new three-year contract that will keep him with the team until 2018.
The New Zealander will contest all rounds of the championship from the 2016 Rallye Monte-Carlo alongside team-mates Thierry Neuville and Dani Sordo.
Paddon and his co-driver John Kennard joined Hyundai for a six-rally campaign in 2014 but increased that to 12 WRC events this season.
A series of excellent performances this year marked him out as one of the sport's rising stars. At June's Rally Italia Sardegna he led a WRC event for the first time and claimed his maiden WRC podium. So far this season he has five top-five results to his name.
Hyundai team principal Michel Nandan said: “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.”
Paddon said he was "very excited" to sign with Hyundai for a further three years and was eager to claim his first victory at WRC level: "The past two seasons 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," he added.
