Kiwi duo adds to championship advantage on tough weekend

Hayden Paddon and John Kennard were able to add to their championship lead in the FIA European Rally Championship, despite a difficult weekend at Barum Czech Rally Zlin.

In a field dominated by Czech crews with the benefit of local experience, the Kiwi pairing in their i20 N Rally2 held a spot in the lower half of the top ten during the second loop of a Saturday where questions about the weather featured highly in strategy decision. Paddon and Kennard had taken a pair of wet tyres for the morning that turned out almost totally dry and repeated the choice the afternoon.

However, just as rain arrived, so did a pair of front-left punctures on their i20 N Rally2 on SS8. Nearly four minutes were lost and with it a spot in the top 15 – and the chance of better road position for Sunday.

The defending champions, however, remained focussed, the aim now to limit the damage to their 2024 title challenge. By the end of the morning’s three stages they had climbed back into the points’ paying positions in 15th. Just as importantly their main title rivals had been forced out of the event after suffering three punctures. Suddenly, from having to salvage any positives from a weekend, Paddon and Kennard could actually strengthen their position at the top of the standings.

They kept their consistency and pace in the afternoon, despite having to compete on roads covered with the mud dragged out of cuts by those ahead. They rose to finish 12th overall and added the bonus points for an impressive third fastest time on the Power Stage.

The result added to the lead in the current standings – increasing their lead to 14 points – and also put them in a stronger position accounting for the dropped score demanded by the FIA European Rally Championship regulations. Counting the events so far they would retain their title with a seven-point margin.

Two rounds of the season remain, the first coming a Rali Ceredigion on August 30-September 1.