Kiwi rally driver Hayden Paddon has been ruled out of his return to the World Rally Championship (WRC) after a high-speed crash in practice.
Paddon, who wasn't offered a fulltime drive this season, was scheduled for a one-off drive with M-Sport Ford in Rally Finland this weekend.
But during his practice run on Tuesday (NZ time), Paddon hit a rock in a blind corner, sending him off the road at high speed.
Luckily Paddon and co-driver John Kennard were unharmed, but M-Sport Ford World Rally Team principal Rich Millener said their car was too badly damaged to repair.
Photos of Paddo's car quickly emerged on social media with his car flipped over amongst some tall grass.
"A rock has been pulled out on one run, he turned the car around, went back up the same stretch of road only to find that rock in the middle of a blind, sixth-gear right-hander," Millener told WRC.com.
"The rock hit the bottom of the sump guard and lifted the car into the air. They were just passengers, nothing they could do about it.
"You can't go into every corner lifting off in case you've pulled a rock out. It's the nature of testing, you're always going to be the first person to find anything you've pulled out on the previous run."
Paddon said he was devastated with the news.
"Unfortunately our test that started so well today didn't end as well. The Fiesta WRC car was feeling great and pleasantly surprised how quickly we were able to get to grips with it," he posted on his Facebook page.
However a rock in the middle of a sixth gear corner lifted the front of the car off line and the rest is history at that speed on a narrow section of stage.
"John and I are both ok and thank you for everyone's messages. Incredibly sorry for the team and everyone back home in NZ who made this event possible. With the damage sustained, we will be unable to start the event.
"Where to next.....who knows. But it's great to have the support of M-Sport at present. Motorsport can be cruel, but it is these highs and lows that makes us stronger and keeps bringing us back - fans and competitors alike."
Newshub.
