Monte Carlo.
On top of that, what you really don’t desire is a mixed Monte with ice and snow in the mix. Potentially, that’s what’s to come.
“We’ve got enough challenges as it is already!” he smiled. “But you can never come to Monte and expect it to be easy.”
Hayden Paddon’s return to top-flight WRC action is an exciting storyline for 2026, but it’s a nerve-inducing scenario to be placed in as a driver.
Paddon could be accused of early jitters as he locked up under braking and tapped a bridge on his first run of shakedown – he’s certainly not shied away from confessing he’s nervous. But in reality this was a “good thing”, as it allowed him to adjust the setup of his i20 for the ice.
Paddon's shakedown wasn't completely smooth, but his mistake actually proved useful
“It was a good time to have the moment,” he told DirtFish. “We’re expecting a lot of snow and ice over the weekend and it was just too easy to lock up the car, so I just had to change something in my setup to compensate for that which is what we’ve done now and it felt better.”
Feeling better is the key for Paddon this weekend. Seeking comfort is priority number one, and that’ll only come the more he spends time in the car.
Obviously that applies when the helmet is on, but it’s just as imperative when it’s off too.
The i20 N Rally1 is a new tool for Paddon. When you drive a car for the first time on the road, it takes you time to adjust. The Kiwi is going through the same process right now.
“Just time in the car is valuable at the moment,” he explained. “We’ve spent so little time in this car so we’re just still trying to get comfortable – and not just for driving it but the simple things like all the systems in the car and where everything is.
“You know, you don’t test for road sections. And it sounds simple, but it’s just the little things that you just want to become natural, which comes with time. Bit by bit it will come.”
From the running he has had, the speed isn’t an issue. Paddon’s driven cars that are far more powerful than a Rally1 before. But how the car generates grip, and how that feels through the steering wheel, is proving to be the biggest learning curve.
“I’d say the speed, I feel like I’ve already adapted to the speed to the point where you want more power. You know drivers always want more power so then you know you’re sort of adapted to that aspect,” Paddon said.
“For me it’s just the feeling of the grip. The grip that you feel in the car is very different to other cars I’ve driven and I think that’s very bespoke to Rally1, just the way it’s working with the aero and the geometry and everything’s very different. So what I feel through the bum of my seat is a little bit unique and a little bit different. So I have to adjust to that and get that better feeling.”
As a result, Paddon’s objective this weekend is very clear. It’s not to win; simply to finish.
Hyundai sporting director Andrew Wheatley told DirtFish: “We know that Hayden can drive, that’s not the point. I’m not asking him, and I don’t want him, to drive at 100% of his own ability this weekend, that’s not his job.
Paddon's job isn't to be fast, but dependable, this weekend
“His job this weekend is to support Thierry and Adrien, who are going to be flat to the mat. So he’s just to be there if you then have a problem, he’s there to fx it. The other two, off you go, flat out.
“We’re trying as much as possible to reassure him that this is part of a slightly longer plan. This is not just about this weekend,” Wheatley added. “It’s about what we do going forward.
“The target this weekend is super, super clear. There’s no pressure on performance.”
Paddon has read the script.
“Thursday night’s a get-through night for us,” he said. “There’s a lot of challenges for me on many different levels so [we need to] get through, especially with the rain and potentially some ice on stage two and three it’s going to be super tricky.
“So I don’t even really care about stage times tomorrow [Thursday] and then after that then it gives us a base. The objective from the team for us is pretty clear this weekend: a no risk approach and make sure we bring the car home.
“If we do that, and if others are having problems, then maybe we can pick up a good result by default, but we’re not going to be chasing a good result on speed.”
