Leading international driver Hayden Paddon says he can’t wait to make his FIA European Rally Championship debut later this month.

New Zealander Paddon will drive a Ford Fiesta S2000 on the Geko Ypres Rally in Belgium from 27-29 June and says he is relishing the opportunity.
“Ypres is one of the biggest events on the calendar,” said Paddon. “The Tarmac roads will provide a real challenge as they are unlike anything we have driven on. Likewise driving the Fiesta for the first time will take a little adapting to. But this is all part of the process of developing myself as a driver, experiencing new events and challenging myself in different vehicles – I can’t wait.”

He continued: “It is also great to be competing in the ERC, the sister championship to the WRC. It puts us in direct competition with a lot of Super 2000 drivers.”

Twenty-six-year-old Paddon is the 2011 Production Car world champion. He will be co-driven by fellow Kiwi John Kennard.