Symtech and Paddon also win in Finland!

By winning once more in Finland last weekend, Hayden Paddon has notched up his third consecutive PWRC victory in the Subaru Impreza STR11 prepared by Belgian team Symtech Racing. With yet another success under his belt, Paddon consolidates his lead of the 2011 PWRC.

Winning in Finland has always been something special, as any driver who is able to see off all the local specialists who know the roads so well, definitely has a great talent. Furthermore, the car also plays a very important role. As Symtech Racing’s Wim de Boeck explains: « There are two key factors to the car in Finland: top speed and suspension. The stages are extremely fast there with several big jumps. Consequently we worked hard on our Subaru Impreza STR11 for this rally, in order to get the speed and the damping exactly right. Our work has been rewarded by a very-well deserved victory from Hayden, who showed his class from the very start. »

It was clear though that the fight for victory would come down to Hayden versus two local drivers. The New Zealander drove his Symtech Racing Subaru perfectly through the Finnish forests, sharing the fastest stage times with his two rivals. By the time he crossed the finish ramp, Hayden Paddon had written his name in the history books as one of the few non-Scandinavians to win in Finland.

Hayden Paddon: « It was a fantastic win after a great battle with the locals, Symtech Racing once again gave me a Subaru Impreza STR11 that was perfect, and I had no problems at all. We tried to fine-tune the car, working constantly on the set-up throughout the rally, in order to be able to attack each stage in perfect conditions. On this demanding route, we also had to take tyre wear into account, but that was the same for everyone. I’m very pleased with this win, as it represents an important step forwards towards our title hopes. »

Wim De Boeck (Symtech Racing): « Hayden and John have put in a remarkable performance once more on Rally Finland, underlining again the fact that rallying is a team sport – with the essential ingredients consisting of a talented driver but also a car that is quick and reliable, run by a close-knit and efficient team. We’re not thinking about the World Championship yet, but here in Finland it’s true that we’ve taken an important step towards it. Winning three rallies on the trot, starting with Portugal and Argentina, is also an exceptional achievement! We have every reason now to feel happy and confident. »

Hayden Paddon has now established a firm lead in the PWRC classification heading into the next round of the championship, September’s Rally Australia.