The European Rally Championship kicks off on Friday in Hungary, where, for a change, the competition will take place on gravel roads. In recent years, the Hungarian rounds have been tarmac rallies, so the stars of the ERC will be competing against each other on unfamiliar terrain.
Last year’s ERC champion, Paddon, is among the top favorites in Hungary.
“I’m looking forward to getting the new season underway, and obviously Rally Hungary is a brand-new rally for us. It is for a lot of people as well, being that it’s back on the gravel, normally it is on the tarmac,” Paddon anticipates.
“We’re pretty comfortable with the car and gravel, so the goal is to put together a strong result. If we can start the championship with a podium, then the target has a minimum. We’ll be going there to put our best foot forward and be as competitive as we can,” the New Zealander plans.
Paddon’s toughest challengers include Latvian Martins Sesks, who has had success on gravel, and Norwegian veteran Mads Østberg, who has plenty of experience on Hungarian rally stages.
Østberg won the Hungarian Rally Championship in the 2022 season. The Norwegian also competed around Veszprém, where points for the ERC are now up for grabs.
Paddon, therefore, places the pressure on Østberg’s shoulders.
“We’re expecting probably tougher competition than last year, you know, everyone’s upping their game, particularly I think Mads Østberg will be the key person to watch. He’s competed in the Hungarian Championship quite a lot, so he knows the roads and he has a good package this year,” Paddon says.
Rally Hungary starts on Friday evening with a short spectator special stage. The event will feature a total of 13 special stages over the weekend.
