World Rally Championship event winner Hayden Paddon will become the latest international rally driver to attempt to win Rally Barbados this year.
Paddon and co-driver John Kennard will compete in a Hyundai i20 R5, run by the same Albatec Racing team that took them to victory on Rali Ceredigion in Wales last September.
Paddon has never competed in the Caribbean before but is looking forward to the challenge.
“We are really looking forward to coming to Barbados for the first time,” he said.
“I have heard a lot about the rally in the past and have seen the colorful media content each time it runs. To compete there ourselves is something that will be a highlight of our year while enjoying the Caribbean for the first time.
“Like any event we do, we will be there to be competitive, and Andy and his Albatec team have a track record with us and the Hyundai R5, having won our first Tarmac rally together last year in Wales. A big thank you to everyone that has helped to make this opportunity possible.”
Rally Barbados event director Neil Barnard is “absolutely thrilled” to welcome Paddon and Kennard to the island on June 10-11.
“A high-profile entry like Hayden’s shines more light on the event and our island,” said Barnard, “and we’re really looking forward to welcoming him and John in June.”
Several past and present WRC drivers have taken on the locals on Rally Barbados before, most recently the late Ken Block who won the 2020 iteration of the event.
Kris Meeke has also won the rally twice, while Elfyn Evans made an appearance in 2016 and finished third.
