The reigning FIA European Rally Champions Hayden Paddon and John Kennard delivered a brilliant performance to dominate the seventh round of the ERC, the new-for-2024 Rali Ceredigion, fending off Andrea Mabellini/Virginia Lenzi’s Skoda Fabia by a healthy 1:47.3 seconds.
The Hyundai driver, who won ten of the 14 stages, has a 27 point lead going into the final round in Poland in October, although after dropped scores, the Kiwi’s lead is 20 points with 35 still up for grabs.
The title chase has distilled into a two horse-race between Paddon and Mathieu Franceschi, who finished third in Wales in his Skoda. Franceschi had a hesitant start to the event, lying seventh overall after Saturday morning’s loop of three stages, before gaining confidence in the drier afternoon stages.
Miko Marczyk went from second overall to fourth in the final stage, knocking himself out of title contention.
The final round of the FIA ERC is another new event, Rally Selesia in Poland from 11 – 13 October
