Thomas Paul (Subaru Impreza H6) has announced himself as a serious contender for the 2026 H6 Cup season after an outstanding victory in the Classic 4WD Class at the iconic Otago Rally, delivering one of the biggest results of his rally career to date.
After two intensive days across some of New Zealand’s most demanding gravel roads, Paul and co-driver Bridget Airey emerged victorious following a performance built on speed, consistency and composure under pressure.
“It was unbelievable,” said Paul. “It took a long time to settle in. You’re so wired the whole two days of racing just trying to keep pushing, stay in front and then get it home. Once we finally finished it was just really hard to believe.”
The result also provides a major confidence boost heading into the remainder of the H6 Cup season, with Paul believing the Otago performance proves they can fight at the front against the category’s established names.
“It was a massive confidence boost,” he said. “Knowing we’re on the pace and able to compete with the rest of the H6 competitors gives us a lot of belief moving forward.”
While the Otago Rally was not an official H6 Cup round, the performance has immediately elevated Paul’s standing as one of the drivers to watch throughout the remainder of the year.
For Paul though, the victory was about far more than trophies or results, instead highlighting the people behind the scenes who helped make the achievement possible.
“They were the backbone of the win,” he said of his crew and supporters. “We absolutely could not have done it without them. Especially on Sunday, they just kept putting the car back together while keeping us calm and collected.”
As for summing up the weekend?
“Stoked. Didn’t think it would be possible, so just stoked.”
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