Full Monte attack
Blue Diamond Riley Services will field a six-car team comprising five classic Rileys and an MG TC in the Monte Carlo Classique Rally at the end of January. The cars, ranging from a 1931 Riley 9 Tourer to the 1949 MG will start from Clydebank on January 30.
Sebastien Loeb’s decision to return to the World Rally Championship has forced Hayden Paddon to consider his time in the series could be up.
Paddon was on the brink of being announced alongside Dani Sordo on a partprogramme when an 11th-hour agreement was made with ninetime champion Loeb. Hyundai offered Paddon a single outing for 2019, but he declined the offer ( see column).
For the first time in a decade, the 2011 PWRC champion faces a season without any WRC action.
Paddon admitted the news was tough to take, saying: “The last few months have been mentally very difficult. There have been many discussions in the background, we were promised and told many things which haven’t come to fruition.
“After the signing of Sebastien Loeb we’ve been left high and dry – a seat [and] position which was planned we had after several months of discussions. We were offered just one rally, which in every one’s best interests – that’s not an option for us.
“Naturally we are very disappointed, but at the same time understand that can be the reality of professional sport. We can be proud of what we achieved and hold our head high.
“We were always told it was impossible for a Kiwi to be in the WRC. Not only did we get there, we won a rally and have eight podiums, [which] is some nice success that we can reflect on and was not possible without the belief and help of so many people in NZ. Of course, I feel like we could have achieved more but you can’t spend life reflecting on the ‘what ifs’.
“This is certainly not the end,” he said. “Rallying is in my blood and it’s just a matter to regroup and plan the next steps. We have some nice ideas [and] projects that we will try and put in place to take on the world with our own Kiwi team. “I’m still competitive, I’m still motivated, I still want to drive and I still want to win!”