Tuned In - 096: What’s It Like to Win a Round of the WRC?

096: What’s It Like to Win a Round of the WRC?

08/31/23 • 95 min

Have you ever dreamt of climbing to the very top of your chosen motorsport and beating the world’s best? That’s exactly what Hayden Paddon, this week’s podcast guest, has done. As a past WRC round winner and current European Rally Champion, Hayden is a wealth of knowledge on all things rally, and spends some time in this episode talking through us through what life is like at the highest levels of the sport, what the future of rally might look like, and much more.
Use “PADDON100” to get $100 OFF our HPA Track Day Package: https://hpcdmy.co/trackdayb
Born in a little town in the South Island of New Zealand, Hayden Paddon was introduced to the world of motorsport early thanks to his rally-driving father. Racing karts and rally events growing up, Hayden went from strength to strength before claiming the first of five national rally titles in 2008. Hayden then burst onto the world stage, becoming the PWRC world champion in 2011, and soon found his way into the big leagues with the factory Hyundai WRC team, claiming a hard-fought win in 2016’s Rally of Argentina.
For any driver outside of Europe to get a seat in a factory WRC team is impressive — let alone a round win. It sounds like a fairytale, but the reality is of course very different — it’s been far from all rainbows and unicorns, and Hayden opens up in this episode about just how hard the journey to the top is. And then staying there? Well that’s even harder still.
Hayden talks us through the various machinations, politics, and extreme levels of pressure at this elite level of motorsport — and this includes some really good advice around getting and, more importantly, keeping sponsors.
These days, when he’s not dominating the European Rally Championship, recently becoming the first non-European to win it, Hayden spends as much time back home in New Zealand as possible, developing his own take on the possible future of the sport in his Hyundai Kona EV rally weapon. Hayden breaks down the build, explaining how it all works and what advantages and disadvantages an electric vehicle has over the traditional ICE-powered rally car.
This episode provides a fantastic look inside the world of WRC, covering everything from the insane stress of leading a rally with a seven-time world champion only two seconds behind, to how a co-driver and driver relationship actually works, and much more.
*NOTE* At the time of recording, Hayden was yet to secure this year’s European Rally Championship.
Don’t forget, use “PADDON100” to get $100 OFF our HPA Track Day Package: https://hpcdmy.co/trackdayb
Follow Hayden here:
IG: @haydenpaddon
FB: Hayden Paddon
WWW: haydenpaddon.com

Previous Episode

Field Report: This 28L Airbox Setup Is GENIUS - Nismo's GT300 Z33.

The legendary title-winning GT300 350Z Nissan hits the Time Attack scene. Get some insight into a factory race car setup including BoP restrictions & more in this [TECH TOUR].
Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in
Restricted to 300hp for class rules, this VQ35DE powered JGTC (Now Super GT) Z33 350z interesting sees up to 480hp due to some clever intake work by Nismo according to owner and driver Dale Malone of DM Motorsport with a maximum output of 580hp being a potential, but only for a short period of time mainly due to harmonics being an issue at high RPM.
The car runs an older Pectel Cosworth electronics package with Windows 95 still being the required OS to run the tuning software. While it's great to keep things original, complications like this are one of the reasons why we see many people update the electronics in older racing platforms in order to give more flexibility and even increase reliability with the modern crop of ECU's and sensors we have available nowadays.
One of the interesting aspects of this car is the 28l intake and airbox which allowed for an extra boost of power coming out of the corners before the intake restrictors, the size of which was dictated by the circuit back when it was a factory race car with teams having a range of engine maps to suit.
Common to motorsport applications a Hewland split shaft transmission which allows for individual gear ratio adjustment and a PI Research data logging system is in place however other than the general engine inputs for the World Time Attack Challenge, shock potentiometers are the only added extra for the moment along with a GT500 aero setup, GT500 being a less restrictive class in the same series at the time.

Next Episode

Field Report: V8 Nissan D40 Pickup Truck Road Racing.

Get the what, how and why on the 6.0L LS-powered Nissan Frontier, aka Navara from owner/builder Stephen Dorrick of @LOJConversions.
Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in
A 700hp+ 6.0L LS engine owing around 6k USD powered this rather porky 4720lbs (2100kg) chassis to 2nd place in the GTT @optimabatteries Ultimate Street Car Invitational at @semashow. Build wise forged @MAHLEGroup pistons and @Lunatipower connecting rods are used along with @KingBearings engine bearings, ported LS3 head and aftermarket cams. The twin @BorgWarnerCorporate Airwerks S257 SX-E run around 13psi but there is room to go up to 20psi on occasion thanks in part to the use of an E50 flavoured ethanol fuel blend.
A @haltech Elite 2500 manages the engine with an I/O expander to increase sensor inputs for a well set up and nicely prioritised engine protection strategy. This Nissan is AWD with the use of a TR6060 mated to a transfer case from a Chevy Blazer which gave Stephen an easier job of using the likes of a Y62 Patrol rear diff with that rear end seeing 70% of the torque split.
The LS retains a wet sump, however, it has been modified and an Accusump is fitted for extra insurance and with essentially only @vikingperformance2574 Berserker coil-overs fitted there are plans to upgrade much of the suspension components in the future to remove excess compliance as well as a focus on weight reduction.