Paddon eighth

Hayden Paddon says he is ‘‘starting to regain confidence’’ after finishing eighth at the Rally of Wales yesterday. The 30-yearold South Canterbury driver had missed the Spanish leg of the World Rally Championship when the South Korean manufacturer signed the Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen for the final three events of the season. But Paddon was back in the Hyundai i20 Coupe for the Rally of Wales. He finished eighth in a race won by Wales’ Elfyn Evans from Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville. France’s Sebastien Ogier took third place to clinch his fifth world title.