RE: Hayden Paddon Escort Mk2 onboard: Time for Tea?

RE: Hayden Paddon Escort Mk2 onboard: Time for Tea?

Tuesday 12th May 2015

Hayden Paddon Escort Mk2 onboard: Time for Tea?

Modern drivers hiding a talent shortfall beneath a veil of technology? Not exactly...



It's easy to speculate how quick great drivers would be if they suddenly found themselves in another motorsport era. For the most part we don't know how a modern driver would adapt to the unsophistication of an earlier car - or the relative lack of safety. And would a hero from the past be able to deliver on the physical requirements of driving a modern car, or with the massive increase in pace?

Obviously this is the sort of discussion that normally produces far more heat than light for the simple fact that, without a working time machine, we just can't know. But this video is confirmation that Hyundai WRC driver Hayden Paddon would be very quick indeed if he suddenly found himself back in 1975, and being strapped into a works Escort RS1800.

Paddon took a break from what's been a disappointing WRC season to drive the Otago Rally back in his native New Zealand last weekend. And although he was competing in the historic-regs Classic category, he managed to win the entire event outright - finishing just 2.5 seconds ahead of the second-placed Mitsubishi Lancer Evo. Scotsman Alister McRae came third in the Classic in another Escort, and a commendable ninth in the overall classification, despite problems.

We like a bit of giant killing here, of course - last year we told you about the UK's own hero-in-a-mk2 Callum Duffy. But Paddon's achievement really stands out as the car he was driving was in pretty much period spec; no sequential gearbox or mega-power engine - just the sweet, sweet music of a hard-charging BDA.

This in-car footage from the first day is fascinating; Paddon is driving the Escort like a WRC car, sideways well before the apex of every corner. The fast section from 2:45 is particularly impressive, with the car flat in top gear for 40 seconds. Brilliant stuff, and confirmation that modern rally stars don't need four-wheel drive and clever differentials to impress.

Watch the vid here.

 

 

Author
Discussion

MrKipling43

Original Poster:

5,788 posts

215 months

Tuesday 12th May 2015
quotequote all
That's mega.

I refer you to this, what I wrote three years ago.

http://www.pistonheads.com/GASSING/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Tuesday 12th May 2015
quotequote all
Doesn't sound like a very standard engine to me - citation needed PH! Standard gearbox though, which is nice to see.

Brilliant video though, cracking driving throughout.

jeremyc

23,335 posts

283 months

Tuesday 12th May 2015
quotequote all
thumbupThat is awesome.What I wouldn't give to have a go in that. cloud9

Krikkit said:
Doesn't sound like a very standard engine to me - citation needed PH! Standard gearbox though, which is nice to see.

Brilliant video though, cracking driving throughout.
Sounds like an 1800 BDA to me. smile You do realise they didn't potter around with wheezy crossflows or pintos in the front, don't you? wink

boxerTen

501 posts

203 months

Tuesday 12th May 2015
quotequote all
Krikkit said:
Doesn't sound like a very standard engine to me - citation needed PH! Standard gearbox though, which is nice to see.

Brilliant video though, cracking driving throughout.
That's a BDA no question. Straight from rallying's golden age.

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Tuesday 12th May 2015
quotequote all
olly22n said:
Not sure that is a standard gearbox.
Well, when I said standard, I meant not a boring sequential really. biggrin

jeremyc said:
Krikkit said:
Doesn't sound like a very standard engine to me - citation needed PH! Standard gearbox though, which is nice to see.

Brilliant video though, cracking driving throughout.
Sounds like an 1800 BDA to me. smile You do realise they didn't potter around with wheezy crossflows or pintos in the front, don't you? wink
Yeah, but the article makes it sound like the chap is some hyper-nutter persuading a wheezy old lump along, I reckon that's a pretty high-spec carbed engine. OK it won't hold its own against a full-beans ITB+EFI monster, but still pretty fancy.

Matt UK

17,649 posts

199 months

Tuesday 12th May 2015
quotequote all
Superb driving, really enjoyed that.

chrisgtx

1,195 posts

209 months

Tuesday 12th May 2015
quotequote all
Krikkit said:
Doesn't sound like a very standard engine to me - citation needed PH! Standard gearbox though, which is nice to see.

Brilliant video though, cracking driving throughout.
When I see him tomorrow ill ask him exactly what spec it was. ;-)

strummerville

1,014 posts

126 months

Tuesday 12th May 2015
quotequote all
Not exactly slow! Amazing talent (OK, he's a WRC driver so not exactly a beginner), but it proves yet again just how quick a well sorted RS Escort can be.

I wish we could return to the days when top works drivers competed in a variety of disciplines - watching a really quick, young hotshoe (Jeez, I sound a codger) giving a non driver aided car like an Escort a true caning is a brilliant spectator experience. At a lot of historic events the cars are driven by their enthusiastic owners who are good, but not balls out like a young professional driver with a point to prove.

More please...

I nominate Mark Higgins to be given a Computervision Rover Vitesse for that 100mph lap of the TT course!

aeropilot

34,297 posts

226 months

Tuesday 12th May 2015
quotequote all
strummerville said:
Not exactly slow! Amazing talent (OK, he's a WRC driver so not exactly a beginner), but it proves yet again just how quick a well sorted RS Escort can be.

I wish we could return to the days when top works drivers competed in a variety of disciplines - watching a really quick, young hotshoe (Jeez, I sound a codger) giving a non driver aided car like an Escort a true caning is a brilliant spectator experience. At a lot of historic events the cars are driven by their enthusiastic owners who are good, but not balls out like a young professional driver with a point to prove.

More please...
Here's another current WRC driver in a Mk2 Escort smile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWBOKD6fGu0


aeropilot

34,297 posts

226 months

Tuesday 12th May 2015
quotequote all
olly22n said:
jeremyc said:
ounds like an 1800 BDA to me. smile
If it's proper, it'll neither be a bda or 1800cc's

wink
hehe

Indeed.


jeremyc

23,335 posts

283 months

Tuesday 12th May 2015
quotequote all
olly22n said:
jeremyc said:
Sounds like an 1800 BDA to me. smile
If it's proper, it'll neither be a bda or 1800cc's

wink
Well yes, over here in pedants corner we might need to acknowledge it could be a BDA, BDE or BDG and could be 1,800cc or 2,000cc. nerd

Whatever, sounds like the proper powerplant (and would likely have to be for classic rally eligibility).

Chris Stott

13,181 posts

196 months

Tuesday 12th May 2015
quotequote all
aeropilot said:
Here's another current WRC driver in a Mk2 Escort smile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWBOKD6fGu0
That is amazing... the feel the very best rally drivers have for the balance of the car is just incredible. Massive trees everywhere, yet still sideways, flat in 6th gear, drifting perfectly from apex to apex.

That is driving.

Shame he lost 4th gear towards the end.

Edited by Chris Stott on Tuesday 12th May 23:04


Edited by Chris Stott on Tuesday 12th May 23:04

aeropilot

34,297 posts

226 months

Wednesday 13th May 2015
quotequote all
Chris Stott said:
Shame he lost 4th gear towards the end.
3rd

strummerville

1,014 posts

126 months

Wednesday 13th May 2015
quotequote all
Watching this led me to have a look around the net at Mk2 Escorts being used by current drivers in modern events. A frequently found video is 'Simon McKinley The White Escort' https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vwl40XFvpLE I've seen footage of this many times.

Yesterday however I was shocked to hear he had been killed a few weeks ago in a hillclimb accident. http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/motor-racing-... RIP and condolences to his family.

chrisgtx

1,195 posts

209 months

Wednesday 13th May 2015
quotequote all
It was a 2.0 BDA engine, on carbs, he said it had some good suspension on it and power steering fitted. He said the video of the other stage was better as there were more crests on it like Finland.

Kawasicki

13,041 posts

234 months

Wednesday 13th May 2015
quotequote all
nice.

It just flows.

LanceRS

2,171 posts

136 months

Thursday 14th May 2015
quotequote all
aeropilot said:
Here's another current WRC driver in a Mk2 Escort smile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWBOKD6fGu0
Amazing, I'm knackered just watching it.

Kawasicki

13,041 posts

234 months

Friday 15th May 2015
quotequote all
LanceRS said:
aeropilot said:
Here's another current WRC driver in a Mk2 Escort smile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWBOKD6fGu0
Amazing, I'm knackered just watching it.
I wouldn't be surprised if the modern drivers are simply better than their predecessors.

jogger1976

1,251 posts

125 months

Friday 15th May 2015
quotequote all
More MK 2 goodnesssmile

Mikko Hirvonen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__M4GAFHmEw
Roger Clark https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wfSZLfcvvY
Ari Vatanaen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pbl8LgLXwRo
Hannu Mikkola & Bjorn Valdegard https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byK_p4GDddg

Enjoy thumbup

Edited by jogger1976 on Friday 15th May 21:02

GravelBen

15,654 posts

229 months

Friday 15th May 2015
quotequote all
Its a BDG for the pedants... hehe

Otago Rally 2015 by Ben, on Flickr

It was one hell of a drive, the top few modern competitors were faster through most stages but had problems and he hustled the Mk2 quickly enough to pick up the pieces. Love that rally, great roads smile

You can also find video of Sunday's final stage here:

https://www.facebook.com/haydenpaddonwrc/videos/vb...

Though the camera seems to have been having some sound issues.

Edited by GravelBen on Friday 15th May 23:22