The winter rally in Dévoluy serves as useful preparation for Rallye Monte Carlo, which will open the 2026 World Rally Championship season. Among the WRC stars, Hyundai driver Adrien Fourmaux and Toyota’s Oliver Solberg will use the event as a test.
Paddon, who has one WRC rally win to his name, has long been associated with Hyundai. His spell with Hyundai’s WRC team ended back in 2018, but in recent seasons he has successfully competed with Hyundai’s Rally2 car in the European Rally Championship as well as in his native New Zealand and in Australia.
Paddon will start the French asphalt event in Hyundai’s Rally2 machine. The boldest rumours suggest Paddon could still be in contention for a contract with Hyundai’s WRC team, which is looking for a replacement for Ott Tänak. However, the strongest links have been with Esapekka Lappi and Dani Sordo, who were part of Hyundai’s line-up in 2024.
Paddon’s visit to France may instead be connected to Hyundai’s plans to invest more heavily in the development of its Rally2 car. The team has not, for the moment, planned to build a new WRC27 car for the 2027 season, when the top-class technical regulations will change. Instead, Hyundai is focusing on its Rally2 machine, which could also be eligible to compete in the top class after next year.
Hyundai team principal Cyril Abiteboul has not yet confirmed that Hyundai is committed to the 2027 WRC season with its Rally2 car, though development work is progressing.
Autosport asked Abiteboul whether Paddon’s participation in Rally Devoluy is connected to Hyundai’s Rally2 development programme.
“It can be lots of things. It can be some development work,” Abiteboul said.
“What I can say is that he has been part of the family and he has been in Rally1 (top category) before, and apart from that I really like his team and the programme in New Zealand and Australia. He is very loyal, and it is good to see that, so let’s see. There are different options for next year with him, and that is one of the things we are exploring,” he added.
Rallye National Hivernal du Dévoluy will be contested on Saturday and Sunday.
