New Zealander is European champion two years running in an i20 N Rally2

Hayden Paddon became one of only four drivers in history to win back-to-back FIA European Rally Championship titles* with third place at the season finale at Rally Silesia (October 11-13) in Poland.

Co-driven by John Kennard in a Hyundai i20 N Rally2, Paddon set the fastest time on five stages of the tarmac event to complete the overall podium and successfully defend his ERC crown.

The result also ensured BRC Racing Team, Paddon’s entrant for the last two seasons and a long-standing Hyundai Motorsport customer, a first the FIA European Rally Championship for Teams*.

Despite claiming to be taking a cautious approach, Paddon, who won the penultimate event of the season in Wales last month, led Rally Silesia by nearly seven seconds after Saturday’s stages.

When rain hit on Sunday – the final day of the season – Paddon could afford to take his foot off the gas, especially after a brush with disaster, spinning on the penultimate stage. Safe in the knowledge he’d be champion again if he finished simply finished ahead of his title rival, Paddon cruised through the final test, before starting the celebrations once he reached the waiting photographers and TV crews at the end of the stage.

“I knew what I was here to do, and the title is hugely important because we’ve worked all year to achieve it,” Paddon said. “It’s also a relief because I don’t like driving in those situations when you’ve got everything to gain and so much to lose, and the weather conditions certainly didn’t make it any easier for us”.

“When we nearly got stuck off the road on the penultimate stage that was the reality check that made rally results irrelevant, it was all about the championship, so we went on a go-slow through the final stage. This title means a lot.”

Paddon joins Bernard Darniche, Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Luca Rosseti as the only back-to-back ERC champions in the 71-year history of the championship.

*All results are subject to final FIA confirmation