The former factory Hyundai driver said the strength of the championship’s entry list would be a big consideration.

WRC last visited New Zealand in 2022. That ended a decade-long wait as the world’s best converged on the North Island’s best stages.

Finland’s Kalle Rovanpera won the rally for Toyota as part of a slightly depleted 10-car field.

Of the Rally1-spec cars, seven finished after Takamoto Katsuta, Elfyn Evans, and Gus Greensmith all crashed.

Adrien Fourmaux was entered but did not start the rally after a late decision by the M-Sport Ford team to withdraw.

Speaking with Speedcafe, Paddon said Rally New Zealand would be more likely to push for the WRC to return if it had a larger entry of top-class cars.

“There’s definitely still interest there for it,” Paddon told Speedcafe.

“They would have liked to make it happen again. I think ultimately, dare I say it, they need the product to be a little bit better because it’s a big investment to run the rally.

“You’re talking millions of dollars of government funding, a lot of people’s time and effort, and if it’s essentially to get eight cars to the rally, that’s where we’ve got to weigh up the effort versus the result type thing.”

WRC is on the verge of sweeping regulations that are designed to encourage more manufacturers and independent tuner teams to compete.

Those regulations are set to come into effect in 2027, and it’s something that Paddon wants to investigate as far as entering his own team.

That, according to Paddon, could be the catalyst for a WRC revolution and the return of New Zealand to the calendar.

“I think if the product was different and they had say 20 or 30 international teams coming over, it’s a different story,” said Paddon.

“Because then all of a sudden you’ve got something you can sell to your sponsors to the fans.

“That’s what they’re sort of waiting for is maybe to see where the sport goes in the next few years.

“The people at the top of Rally New Zealand and the board and everything over there, they’re hugely passionate to make sure it does come back. I think it’s just the timing situation.”

This year, Paddon is competing in the EROAD Australian Rally Championship with John Kennard in a Rally2-spec Hyundai i20 N.

Kiwi rally legend hatches plan to start WRC team