Hayden Paddon joins the Subaru surge

Thursday, 24 February 2011 12:30

After suffering a slump in 2009 and regaining some lost ground in 2010, Japanese car manufacturer and iconic rally car makers Subaru are riding a new wave of increased support in rallying circles.

With the announcement this week that New Zealand’s top rally driver Hayden Paddon (he of Pirelli Star Driver and Production World Rally Car Championship fame in 2010) has switched from his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X to the Subaru Impreza N4.

Changing from a Mitsubishi to a Subaru (and vice versa) is never a decision taken lightly. For the uninitiated, this is a move akin to driving on the right-hand side of the car after driving all your life on the left (or vice versa, once again). Its not that one is better than the other, its that the philosophy and approach of each car is in stark contrast to the other.

Paddon, the latest and most prominent driver to make the jump from Mitsubishi to Subaru (or vice versa), has laid his plans for the 2011 on the proverbial table. He will contest the 2011 Production Car World Rally Championship (PWRC) in his newly formed New Zealand World Rally Team. The genial New Zealander says the formation of his new team is “a dream come true.”

This new team will run under the Hayden Paddon Rallysport Global Ltd flag, the company formed by Paddon and his supporters in late 2010.

“The move to Subaru will be a big change for us, especially considering how much we have achieved in a series of Mitsubishis,” said Paddon. “In saying that, I am confident that driving the Subaru will give us a better chance of winning the [PWRC] championship as they are very strong, well balanced cars. At the end of the day, as long as it has four wheels and a steering wheel, I’m happy! As a youngster I was always a huge Subaru fan, and now to get a chance to drive one in world competition fulfils a childhood dream.”

Symtech (a Belgian-based business that specialises in building and running Subaru Impreza rally cars) will prepare Paddon’s new steed.

Adapting to the Subaru is another new challenge for the 23-year-old who demonstrated a consistent ability to learn, improve and deliver strong performances in every event he contested last year. Paddon sees the change of car as simply another opportunity to lift his game to a whole new level and challenge for the PWRC class victory.

Paddon has nominated the following six PWRC events: Vodafone Rally de Portugal (24 - 27 March), Rally Argentina (26 - 29 May), Neste Oil Rally Finland (28 - 31 July), Rally Australia (8 - 11 September), Rally de Espana (20 - 23 October) and Wales Rally GB (10 - 13 November).

Subaru of America, Inc. has once again stated their commitment to rallying in U.S.A. through contingency programmes with generous cash winnings, while in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) series also sees Subaru closely support pilots of their products too with prizes.

The sound and sight of a Subaru Impreza driven in anger through a forest cannot be beat! By Evan Rothman

Worth checking - Motorsport news - F1 news