Hayden Paddon
Co-Driver: John Kennard (NZ)
Website: haydenpaddon.com
Hyundai factory driver Hayden Paddon is back in the APRC for the first time since claiming the Pacific Cup title in 2009.
After spending the past five seasons as part of Hyundai’s WRC team, Paddon has made his intentions clear; to win the Pacific Cup and then look at winning grand final in China.
Back in his Kiwi-developed Hyundai i20 AP4 rally car, Paddon will re-partner with the very experienced John Kennard.
Andrew Hawkeswood
Co-Driver: Jeff Cress (NZ)
Team: Force Motorsport
Kiwi motorsport veteran Andrew Hawkeswood will be one to watch in this years Pacific Cup. The 2017 NZRC champion will pilot one of the Mazda 2 AP4 rally cars that are built by his Force Motorsport team.
Although he limited 2018 season in New Zealand, the three events he contested in returned a victory and two second place results.
Mike Young
Co-Driver: Malcolm Read (NZ)
Team: Cusco Motorsport
Website: mikeyoung.co.nz
Mike Young will be back with Cusco in a Toyota Vitz. Although 2018 was a difficult one, with reliability problems plaguing the AP4 Vitz, he has already taken a podium this year in the Japanese rally championship. If Cusco can overcome the Toyota’s reliability problems, the AP4 will be fast and Young and co-driver Read are one of the most experienced teams in the APRC.
Yuya Sumiyama
Co-Driver: Takahiro Yasui (JP)
Team: Cusco Motorsport
Long-time Cusco factory driver Yuya Sumiyama took the 2018 APRC championship title in a Skoda Fabia R5.
Sumiyama is one of the most experienced drivers in the series, having won the Asia Cup in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2018. He and team-mate Young will battle it out in the Asia Cup.
