20 Dec 2011

Paddon moves up a class to chase WRC drive

2:46 pm on 20 December 2011

New Zealand's top rally driver, Hayden Paddon has taken his next step in the rallying world, announcing he'll contest the FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship next year.

Paddon and co-driver John Kennard, who won the Production world title this year, will drive a Skoda Fabia in the next class up, which is the feeder to the WRC.

Paddon will move to Barcelona to drive for the Spanish ASM Motorsport team.

Paddon says several key personnel at ASM Motorsport have been involved with the Skoda and Seat world rally teams in the past and they are very enthusiastic and passionate about this project with the traget to win the championship.

Skoda's parent company Volkswagen has confirmed its entry into the WRC in 2013.

VW management signed star French driver Sebastién Ogier last month, confirming Ogier will compete in all rounds of the 2012 WRC in a similar Skoda S2000 car to the one Paddon will drive and thus providing an outstanding benchmark for all SWRC competitors.