# John Kennard (co-driver)
## Personal Life

John Kennard (born 11 February 1959) is a rally co-driver born in Christchurch, New Zealand.
In 2024 John lives between his homes in Marlborough, NZ and Finland with his wife Satu Lappalainen. They own and run New Zealand vineyard Vicarage Lane producing Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir wines.

## Rally career

Kennard's first taste of the WRC came at the 1985 1000 Lakes Rally where he co-drove in a Toyota Starlet for Brent Rawstron. Kennard is a well-known co-driver to numerous drivers, the most notable being Hayden Paddon at Hyundai motorsport. The pairing had their first win at Rally Argentina in 2016, bring New Zealand to the top step of the WRC podium.
In March 2017 it was announced that Kennard would step down as Paddon's co-driver after Rally Finland and that a replacement for Kennard would be announced soon. The replacement was confirmed the day after to be Kevin Abbring's co-driver Sebastian Marshall. Kennard suffered a hip injury prior to the 2017 Rally de Portugal, which meant Marshall had to substitute for Kennard for the rally. On 30 May, Kennard retired as co-driver earlier than what was planned, because of the injury.
Kennard was voted Marlborough Sportsperson of the Year in 2016, succeeding Sophie MacKenzie.
2023 saw John compete with Hayden Paddon in the 2023 European Rally Championship. The pair came out on top claiming their first European Rally Championship Title, and becoming the first non-european team to win the championship. John and Hayden also fought off local competition to win his 6th New Zealand Rally Championship Co-Drivers Title.
In 2024 John stepped down from his NZRC co-driving duties, allowing up and coming co-driver Jared Hudson to sit with driver Hayden Paddon in New Zealand, with John sitting with Hayden, and claiming a back-to-back European Rally Championship Title.

## Rally victories
### WRC victories

| # | Event | Season | Driver | Car |
| 1 | 36° Rally Argentina | 2016 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 WRC |

### ERC victories

| # | Event | Season | Driver | Car |
| 1 | Rally Serras de Fafe e Felgueiras | 2023 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 Rally2 |
| 2 | Rali Ceredigion | 2024 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 Rally2 |

### NZRC victories

| # | Event | Season | Driver | Car |
| 1 | Hella International Rally of Whangarei | 2007 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII |
| 2 | Rally Nelson | 2007 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII |
| 3 | Rally Hawkes Bay | 2008 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX |
| 4 | South Canterbury Spring Rally | 2008 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX |
| 5 | International Rally of Otago | 2009 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX |
| 6 | NAC Insurance International Rally of Whangarei | 2009 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX |
| 7 | Trust House/Racetech Rally Wairarapa | 2009 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX |
| 8 | Rally Nelson | 2009 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII |
| 9 | International Rally of Whangarei | 2010 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX |
| 10 | DriveSouth International Rally of Otago | 2011 | Hayden Paddon | Subaru Impreza STi N14 |
| 11 | Rally New Zealand | 2011 | Hayden Paddon | Subaru Impreza STi N14 |
| 12 | International Rally of Otago | 2013 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX |
| 13 | International Rally of Whangarei | 2013 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX |
| 14 | Trust House/Racetech Rally Wairarapa | 2013 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX |
| 15 | International Rally of Otago | 2015 | Hayden Paddon | Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII |
| 16 | DriveSouth International Rally of Otago | 2016 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 AP4 |
| 17 | Rally New Zealand | 2017 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 AP4 |
| 18 | International Rally of Otago | 2018 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 AP4 |
| 19 | Rally of South Canterbury | 2018 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 AP4 |
| 20 | International Rally of Otago | 2019 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 AP4 |
| 21 | City of Auckland Rally | 2020 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 AP4 |
| 22 | International Rally of Otago | 2021 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 AP4 |
| 23 | International Rally of Whangarei | 2021 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 AP4 |
| 24 | Rally of South Canterbury | 2021 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 AP4 |
| 25 | Rally Hawkes Bay | 2021 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 AP4 |
| 26 | International Rally of Otago | 2022 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 AP4 |
| 27 | International Rally of Whangarei | 2022 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 AP4 |
| 28 | Repco Rally New Zealand | 2022 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 N Rally2 |
| 29 | International Rally of Otago | 2023 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 N Rally2 |
| 30 | International Rally of Whangarei | 2023 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 N Rally2 |
| 31 | Daybreaker Rally Manawatu | 2023 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 N Rally2 |
| 32 | Rally Bay of Plenty | 2023 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 AP4 |

## Rally results
### WRC results

| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | WDC | Points |
| 1985 | Brent Rawstron | Toyota Starlet | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRC | NZL | ARG | FIN 44 | ITA | CIV | GBR Ret | | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1987 | Stuart Weeber | Toyota Starlet | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRE | USA | NZL 7 | ARG | FIN | CIV | ITA | GBR | | | | 46th | 4 |
| 1988 | Malcolm Stewart | Audi Coupé Quattro | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRE | USA | NZL 3 | ARG | FIN | CIV | ITA | GBR | | | | 20th | 12 |
| 1989 | Simon Davies | Subaru Leone | SWE | MON | POR | KEN | FRA | GRE | NZL Ret | ARG | | | | | | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1989 | Chris Birkbeck | Peugeot 205 GTI | | | | | | | | | FIN Ret | AUS | ITA | CIV | GBR | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1991 | Greg Taylor | Mazda 323 | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRE | NZL Ret | ARG | FIN | AUS | ITA | CIV | ESP | GBR | | | NC | 0 |
| 1998 | Juha Kangas | Subaru Impreza WRX | MON | SWE | KEN | POR | ESP | FRA | ARG | GRE | NZL | FIN | ITA | AUS | GBR 24 | | | | NC | 0 |
| 2007 | Paddon Direct Green Team | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII | MON | SWE | NOR | MEX | POR | ARG | ITA | GRE | FIN | GER | NZL 49 | | | | | | NC | 0 |
| 2007 | Team Jordan | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX | | | | | | | | | | | | ESP | FRA | JPN | IRE | GBR Ret | NC | 0 |
| 2008 | Paddon Direct Green Team | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX | MON | SWE | MEX | ARG | JOR | ITA | GRE | TUR | FIN | GER | NZL 12 | ESP | FRA | JPN | GBR | | NC | 0 |
| 2009 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX | IRE | NOR | CYP | POR | ARG | ITA | GRE | POL | FIN | AUS 9 | ESP | GBR | | | | | NC | 0 |
| 2010 | Pirelli Star Driver | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X | SWE | MEX | JOR | TUR 26 | | POR 20 | BUL | FIN 21 | GER 19 | | FRA 35 | ESP | GBR 19 | | | | NC | 0 |
| 2010 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX | | | | | NZL 14 | | | | | JPN 12 | | | | | | | NC | 0 |
| 2011 | New Zealand World Rally Team | Subaru Impreza WRX STi | SWE | MEX | POR 11 | JOR | ITA | ARG 9 | GRE | FIN 19 | GER | AUS 6 | FRA | ESP 34 | | | | | 18th | 10 |
| 2011 | Hayden Paddon | Subaru Impreza STi R4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | GBR 13 | | | | 18th | 10 |
| 2012 | Hayden Paddon | Škoda Fabia S2000 | MON | SWE 23 | MEX | POR 16 | ARG | GRE | NZL 12 | FIN Ret | GER | GBR 26 | FRA Ret | ITA | ESP 20 | | | | NC | 0 |
| 2013 | Hayden Paddon | Škoda Fabia S2000 | MON | SWE | MEX | POR | ARG | GRE | ITA | FIN 11 | GER 8 | AUS 17 | FRA | | GBR | | | | 18th | 8 |
| 2013 | Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | | | | | | | | | | | | ESP 8 | | | | | 18th | 8 |
| 2014 | Hyundai Motorsport N | Hyundai i20 WRC | MON | SWE | MEX | POR | ARG | ITA 12 | POL 8 | FIN 8 | GER | AUS 6 | FRA | ESP 9 | GBR 10 | | | | 15th | 19 |
| 2015 | Hyundai Motorsport | Hyundai i20 WRC | MON | SWE 5 | | | | | | | | AUS 5 | | | GBR 5 | | | | 9th | 84 |
| 2015 | Hyundai Motorsport N | Hyundai i20 WRC | | | MEX 17 | ARG 16 | POR 8 | ITA 2 | POL 4 | FIN Ret | GER 9 | | FRA 5 | ESP 6 | | | | | 9th | 84 |
| 2016 | Hyundai Motorsport N | Hyundai i20 WRC | MON 25 | | MEX 5 | ARG 1 | | | | | GER 5 | CHN C | FRA 6 | ESP 4 | GBR 4 | | | | 4th | 138 |
| 2016 | Hyundai Motorsport | Hyundai i20 WRC | | SWE 2 | | | POR Ret | ITA Ret | POL 3 | FIN 5 | | | | | | AUS 4 | | | 4th | 138 |
| 2017 | Hyundai Motorsport | Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC | MON WD | SWE 7 | MEX 5 | FRA 6 | ARG 6 | POR | ITA | POL | FIN | GER | ESP | GBR | AUS | | | | 13th | 33 |
| 2019 | M-Sport Ford WRT | Ford Fiesta WRC | MON | SWE | MEX | FRA | ARG | CHL | POR | ITA | FIN WD | GER | TUR | | ESP | AUS C | | | NC | 0 |
| 2019 | M-Sport Ford WRT | Ford Fiesta R5 Mk. II | | | | | | | | | | | | GBR 38 | | | | | NC | 0 |
| 2022 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 N Rally2 | MON | SWE | CRO | POR | ITA | KEN | EST Ret | FIN 11 | BEL | GRE | NZL 6 | ESP | JPN | | | | 21st | 8 |

### ERC results

| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Pos. | Points |
| 2013 | Symtech Racing | Ford Fiesta S2000 | JÄN | LIE | CAN | AZO | COR | YPR Ret | ROM | ZLÍ | POL | CRO | SAN | VAL | 62nd | 5 |
| 2022 | Paddon Rallysport | Hyundai i20 N Rally2 | AZO1 | AZO2 | CAN | POL | LAT 6 | ITA | CZE | ESP | | | | | 29th | 15 |
| 2023 | BRC Racing Team | Hyundai i20 N Rally2 | PRT 1 | CAN 2 | POL 2 | LAT 2 | SWE 2 | ITA 3 | CZE Ret | HUN | | | | | 1st | 163 |
| 2024 | BRC Racing Team | Hyundai i20 N Rally2 | HUN 4 | CAN 6 | SWE 3 | EST 5 | ITA 6 | CZE 12 | GBR 1 | POL 3 | | | | | 1st | 145 |