The event, which is the opening round of the New Zealand Rally Championship, has also attracted 21 international teams from all around the world.
Local driver and reigning two-time European Rally Champion Hayden Paddon is taking part in the Classic Rally field for the first time since 2015.
He will drive an Escort RS1800 as he competes against last year’s Classic winner, Northern Ireland’s Kris Meeke, in a similar car.
The Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship is also looking strong, headed by last year’s winner Jack Hawkeswood in a Toyota GR Yaris AP4.
The fight for the national title could be at least a five-way battle, with the favourite again likely to be last year’s championship winner, Ben Hunt, in a Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo.
Moving from a Ford to a new Skoda Fabia Rally2 puts Robbie Stokes in contention as well.
Dunedin’s Emma Gilmour will also be eyeing up the title in her Citroen C3 Rally2.
The 2025 Central Machine Hire Otago Rally begins with a rally show and ceremonial start in Dunedin’s Octagon tomorrow, ahead of two days and 15 stages in Central Otago.
Hayden Paddon will also tick off a bucket list item.
After finishing the event in the Classic section, he will return to the start of the final stage, the famous Kuri Bush, to complete a second run in his Hyundai i20 World Rally Car — the car in which Paddon outdrove Sebastien Ogier on the final stage to win the 2016 Rally of Argentina.
It will be the first time a World Rally Car (WRC) will run down the 15km stage and it is sure to be a delight for spectators.
In a statement, Paddon thanked the Otago Rally organisers for enabling the opportunity.
"It’s always been a bucket list thing for me to drive a WRC car on Kuri Bush, one of New Zealand’s most famous and hair-raising stages.
"We hope to put on a good show for the spectators and see what sort of time the car can do, but at the same time, we will drive with a degree of caution to not take risks and look after this unique and special car."
Paddon imported his winning Hyundai to New Zealand in 2024 and plans to use it sparingly at events in the future, with the Kuri Bush stage being just the second of such instances.
Whether the car overhauls his existing stage record of 7m12.8s, set in 2023 (Hyundai i20 N Rally2), remains to be seen — however, he is wary of keeping the car neat and tidy, given its historical significance and value.
"We hope to put on a good show for the spectators and see what sort of time the car can do. However, at the same time driving with a degree of caution to not take risks and look after the car."
The Central Machine Hire Otago Rally is grateful to the Dunedin City Council for Premier Event funding. — APL
