Paddon suffers fiery crash in Portugal
ByAutoSport
Published 20/05/2016 at 16:05 GMT
Hayden Paddon's attempt to win a second World Rally Championship event in a row has ended after his Hyundai i20 WRC rolled and caught fire in Portugal.
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
The Kiwi driver and co-driver John Kennard are reportedly safe and out of harm's following the shunt on SS5.
Pictures quickly emerged showing the car on fire after the crash.
Hyundai said the bushes around where it came to rest caught alight following the accident and the car has been destroyed.
Paddon had been aiming to challenge Sebastien Ogier for the event win having beaten the three-time champion to victory in Argentina.
After the two came to verbal blows over running order rules, Portugal was the first event where Paddon has run up front in the WRC as he started second in the road.
He had been holding sixth overall after SS4, 22.9s down on series returnee and rally leader Kris Meeke's Citroen DS 3.
The stage has been neutralised because of the incident.
Ott Tanak, who began the stage in fourth place, also crashed out near the scene of Paddon's accident.
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