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\nHayden Paddon and John Kennard drive a Hyundai i20 at Rally Croatia.
\nPhoto: AFP\n<\/p>\n
Hayden Paddon has turned back the clock, climbing a World Rally Championship (WRC) podium for the first time in eight years following a carnage-filled round in Croatia.<\/p>\n
The 38-year-old and his long-time co-driver John Kennard combined to produce the best finish for Hyundai on the three-day rally, but only after teammate and rally leader Thierry Neuville dramatically crashed on the 20th and final stage.<\/p>\n
Belgian Neuville, who had been leading, skidded and veered off course kilometres from the finish and smashed into a concrete block, damaging his suspension.<\/p>\n
Japan’s Takamoto Katsuta was promoted to first, 20.7 seconds ahead of fellow Toyota driver Sami Pajari, with Paddon a further 1min 47sec back in third.<\/p>\n
Katsuta goes top of the WRC standings after four rounds, having won the previous leg in Kenya.<\/p>\n
Paddon, a part-time driver for Hyundai in his return to the WRC, is 11th overall after two drives.<\/p>\n
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\nHayden Paddon.
\nPhoto: Photosport\n<\/p>\n
He placed 11th in his other appearance this season, the Monte Carlo Rally in January, before rotating out of the team’s third car for other drivers in Sweden and Kenya.<\/p>\n
The 38-year-old was as much relieved as he was pleased to return to the podium for the first time since Rally Australia in 2018, having negotiated challenging conditions in Croatia.<\/p>\n
“A result is a result. We have done it by being a bit technical and having wisdom and being smart. We have made a good step up from Monte,” Paddon said in immediate post-race comments, having recorded his best-ever finish in a WRC tarmac rally.<\/p>\n
Paddon and Kennard found themselves fourth early in the 20-stage rally and held firm in that position before climbing one spot due to Neuville’s dramatic late misfortune.<\/p>\n
The 20-stage Croatia Rally is widely considered one of the most challenging tarmac events in the WRC due to its low-grip, inconsistent surfaces and narrow roads.<\/p>\n
The podium trio were the only top-category drivers in the leading 10, with in-form Toyota pair Elfyn Evans and Oliver Solberg both crashing out on day one of the three-day rally.<\/p>\n
Paddon, whose lone WRC rally win came in Argentina in 2016, is likely to be rotated out of Hyundai’s lineup for the next event, in Spain’s Canary Islands later this month.<\/p>\n