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Otago Daily Times
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
Paddon up to third in standings after dual wins
Hayden Paddon (right) and co-driver John Kennard celebrate after their win in the Forest Rally in Western Australia on Sunday. PHOTO: TAYLER BURKE New Zealand rally stars Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard overcame intense competition and muddy conditions to win the Forest Rally in Western Australia. It was the second round of the Australian Rally Championship, run as two single-day events across the weekend. The Kiwis worked hard to secure the maximum available 50 points each day and claim the win in their Hyundai i20 Rally 2 car. Paddon is now third on the ARC drivers' points table behind Lewis Bates and Scott Pedder after two of the six championship rounds. The Cromwell driver was seeded fourth heading into Saturday's heat one and Paddon and Kennard were among the top runners from the outset as expected. But the competition was hot, 2020 FIA junior world rally champion Tom Kristensson winning the first stage, three-time ARC champ Harry Bates securing the second, and Paddon the third. Heavy rain made conditions very slippery in places, but high grip in others, and nothing like the loose, ball-bearing surface typical of this rally run in the forests near Nannup, south of Perth near Margaret River. Into the afternoon loop, Rally of Canberra winner Scott Pedder took the fourth stage win, then Paddon and Kennard were able to wrap up the day to their satisfaction by winning the last two stages with a margin of 12.3sec over Pedder, and secure maximum points for heat one. Sunday morning's loop of three stages were very wet and muddy, but Paddon said drying conditions in the afternoon suited them and the car better. Four different stage winners — Kristensson, Pedder, Harry Bates and Paddon — throughout the day highlighted the intense competition. Paddon was ultimately the day's victor by a margin of just 5.4sec over Bates. Paddon was delighted to take the rally win and maximum points. 'It was a really good weekend and we're really happy to come away with the win on both days," Paddon said. "It was more than we expected especially as the conditions were very challenging. "We had to really dig deep to try and get the result. "To get the win in that fashion is very satisfying. It's been a huge effort from everyone in the PRG team being over here for the week. It's great to get our bid to win our first Australian championship back on track with our next challenge taking place at Rally Queensland near Gympie next month.' — APL
Otago Daily Times
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
Paddon after max points in WA
Hayden Paddon. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES New Zealand rally stars Hayden Paddon and John Kennard head into new challenges in the second Australian Rally Championship, round which starts in Western Australia today. The Forest Rally runs around the towns of Busselton and Nannup, south of Perth near Margaret River. The two-day rally features a stacked entry list of 39 crews, including international stars such as 2020 FIA junior world rally champion Tom Kristensson and co-driver Andreas Johansson, of Sweden, and regular local top runners such as the Bates brothers. With the roads described as "unique, ball-bearing gravel", Paddon and Kennard are expecting plenty of fast, sideways-sliding action on the stages in their refreshed Hyundai i20 Rally 2 car. The New Zealand pair again have the support of their Cromwell-based PRG crew in Australia. Paddon is fresh from an outright win in Rally South Canterbury, in which Jared Hudson co-drove in the team's Hyundai i20 AP4. While the pair's first Australian outing this year did not go to plan in March — thanks to some local wildlife — they are looking for maximum points this coming weekend, and have been working through their pre-event preparation with their usual thoroughness. "This is our first time competing in Western Australia," Paddon who will be starting No4 four on the road, said. "We've heard a lot about the loose marbles here that make it slippery, but from what we have seen from our homework, the stages look generally smooth and flowing. "We've been working on a couple of small upgrades on the car, so we are looking forward to trying to get our championship bid back on track. ''That means we really need to target maximum points here, but we are also expecting a lot of fast teams here like the first ARC round in Canberra. ''Our goal is to focus on doing the best job we can from when recce starts on Thursday until the end of the rally on Sunday night." The Forest Rally gets under way today with a rally show in the evening (WA time) near the Busselton foreshore. Tomorrow's six special stages take competitors into the Nannup forest and comprise two repeated loops of three stages with a total competitive distance of 103.28 km. Sunday's six stages are also three tests repeated morning and afternoon, over a total 81.02km, before the rally finish and podium celebrations in Nannup later in the day. — APL
West Australian
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- West Australian
Molly Taylor driving home gender equality
Extreme E's mixed-gender racing is breaking boundaries in motorsport, and Australian trailblazer driver Molly Taylor is at the forefront. Extreme E is a five-race series in four continents, racing electric SUV's off-road vehicles in extreme locations and conditions. It has taken a real lead in gender equality. In 2016, Molly became the youngest ever winner of the Australian Rally Championship. She is also the first and still the only female champion. With co-driver Bill Hayes, she won WA's Forest Rally in 2017. Then, in 2021, she joined Extreme E and won the inaugural Extreme E World Championship with Johan Kristoffersson. Over its first four seasons, Extreme E has built a number of female drivers. But Molly, driving for team Next Veloce Racing, stands out. She won the inaugural championship title and has achieved eight major victories. She has the most victories of any female driver and the second most overall — just one fewer than double champion Johan Kristoffersson (despite competing in three fewer events). And data shows that, in those four seasons, the gap in performance times between male and female drivers has narrowed by almost 70 per cent. An Extreme E spokesperson says that value is due to 'equitable competition environments'. Molly, who has raced with the series from the beginning, said: 'Extreme E has without a doubt changed the course of my career and I'm confident all the female drivers in the series would say the same thing. 'We all know how challenging motorsport is, but what Extreme E has proven is that with the right opportunity, exposure, development and investment we can see women reach the top. 'It can be a difficult cycle to break; you need the seat time to prove your potential, but you need results to attract the support needed to access that very seat time. 'Extreme E put themselves out there and tried something new to force change and it makes me so proud to be one of the drivers to prove the success of this concept. 'We have built some strong momentum and, whilst this doesn't alleviate the continuing challenges of motorsport, we are making change. It's pretty special and something I hope motorsport can learn from more broadly.' Molly took part in SAS Australia season one, and is an ambassador for Girls on Track, a female motorsport initiative. +
