Hayden Paddon

Haydon Paddon has committed almost his whole life to rallying, since go-karting at the age of six. Following in the footsteps of his idols Possum Bourne and Colin McRae, his goal has always been to become World Rally Champion.

Becoming regional then New Zealand’s national champion, then winning his first FIA rally at the age of 19, Hayden made the step up to the international arena in 2010 after winning the Pirelli Star Driver scholarship.

Securing the Production World Rally Championship the following year meant his team became the first from the southern hemisphere to take out a world title, before moving onto the Super 2000 WRC for the following two years.

The opportunity to join Hyundai Motorsport in 2014 was the culmination of over 20 years’ work, where Hayden and his team established themselves at the highest level of world rallying, going on to claim eight podiums and a famous victory at Rally Argentina in 2016.

Hayden’s now based out of Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell, where he leads Paddon Rallysport.