2 Jul 2017

Paddon up to third in Poland

9:28 am on 2 July 2017

The New Zealand rally driver Hayden Paddon is in third place overall after the second day of Rally Poland.

Hayden Paddon.

Hayden Paddon. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Paddon, who was fifth after the first day, is 25 seconds behind the leader, his Hyundai team-mate, Thierry Neuville.

The Belgian is just ahead of Ott Tänak's Ford Fiesta.

The lead changed hands four times and both suffered time-consuming problems before Neuville ended with a 3.1sec advantage in his Hyundai i20 to carry into Sunday's finale.

Yesterday's torrential rain and driving winds gave way to clearer skies and rapidly drying roads, allowing the two WRC title contenders to fight tooth and nail in this eighth round.

Paddon won three stages in his i20 to distance championship leader Sébastien Ogier by more than a minute.

He sais "really happy with the day, still making gains and trying to look after our position."

Paddon is eighth in the championship standings after seven of the 12 rounds.

He's failed to pick up points in the last two rounds.