Paddon had to forgo the season-opening Otago Rally, which ultimately determined the fate of the title. Despite Paddon winning all five subsequent rounds in commanding fashion, the championship went to Ben Hunt.
Over the weekend at the Whangarei Rally, Paddon once again dominated, clinching victory in his Hyundai with a margin of nearly five minutes over Hunt, who was driving a Škoda. Hunt’s second-place finish, which secured his championship, was effectively assured after the first day, allowing him to adopt a more conservative approach on Sunday.
Interestingly, Hunt did not win any rallies in the New Zealand series this season but still claimed the championship. He consistently finished on the podium in all six rounds. Hunt last celebrated the New Zealand rally championship in 2019, during which Paddon was competing in the World Rally Championship. This marks Hunt’s third national championship title.
“After missing the first round of the NZ championship we did everything we could by winning every rally and every powerstage but just come up short. A huge congratulations to Ben Hunt and his team on his third NZ title after a great season,” Paddon said.
“Been a massive year that has had its challenges but has been successful. Thank you to everyone that has supported and helped us!”
In the traditional Whangarei Rally, Subaru driver Dylan Thomson secured third place, narrowly edging out Emma Gilmour by 12.2 seconds. This result elevated Gilmour to third in the New Zealand Rally Championship standings, surpassing Robbie Stokes, who retired on Saturday.
This season, Paddon celebrated his second consecutive European Rally Championship title. However, his plans for the next season remain uncertain. Following the final round of the ERC, Paddon hinted that his participation in the series might have concluded.
Nonetheless, Paddon made rally history over the weekend by clinching his second FIA-sanctioned series title this season. In addition to his European Championship, he was awarded the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship. The Whangarei Rally victory marked his tenth win at the event.
