Winmax Brake Pads and Paddon Racing Group have joined forces again in 2022 to offer the future stars of motorsport a chance to be part of the Winmax Junior Driver scholarship.
In 2021, three young New Zealand rally drivers were given tutorship from Hayden Paddon to advance their driving careers alongside free brake pads for the season. Jack Hawkeswood, Harri Judd and Ari Pettigrew all took on new challenges over the season with success.
“It was awesome to be part of the Winmax Junior Driver Scholarship last year,” commented Ari Pettigrew (main picture). “Having Hayden there to bounce back idea’s, anything from car setup to your pace notes, to anything we should be doing leading up the rallies was a key part to my success last year winning the New Zealand Rally Championship junior title as well as the open 2WD national championship.”
For youngest candidate, Harri Judd, despite a tough start to the year, he still found plenty of value in the program.
“Last year I was extremely fortunate to be one of three chosen to be part of the Winmax Junior Driver scholarship alongside Hayden Paddon and his team at Paddon Rallysport. We all learned and gained a whole lot of experiences from the season, but for me personally I was really focusing on pace notes.
“Both Ben (co-driver) and I learned a lot from the season with Hayden, both in and out of the car. It was beneficial to see what goes on behind the scenes. Of course, it was cut short but for me that’s definitely the highlight.”
The 2022 Winmax Junior Driver program now expands from not just rally drivers, but into all forms of motorsport to advance the growing list of talented young drivers domestically. Something Paddon is looking forward to.
“Thanks to our strong partnership with Winmax Brake Pads, I get the opportunity to help grow some of the best talents in the country. Last year, despite some hiccups, it was fantastic to see the difference in all three drivers’ skills and approach at a new level that I hope will carry them far in the future.”
One of the three successful applicants will receive a test drive in the Hyundai New Zealand i20 AP4 car at the season’s end based on various criteria.
Apply by entering your details in this link and adding a small CV of goals for 2022, championship entered, aspirations for the future and why you would be a great Winmax ambassador.
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