Hayden Paddon's promotion to the primary Hyundai Motorsport squad and his season-long targeting of Rally Australia as his greatest chance for glory, all point to a podium finish on Sunday.
As always, the high-flying Kiwi is staying grounded and told the Otago Daily Times this week that although he is ''not over-confident'' he and co-driver John Kennard are aiming for a top-three finish.
''We've been looking forward to it [Rally Australia] for quite a while. It is the rally where we've got the best chance to be competitive again,'' Paddon said.
Paddon's impressive pace on gravel over the last few WRC rounds brought him a career-best second in Italy and then a fourth in Poland.
The valuable points earned for the team have meant he will trade places with one of Hyundai Motorsport's main team drivers Dani Sordo, who took just a single point from the three most recent loose surface rounds.
Paddon and Kennard will pilot the Hyundai rally car in the company's world rally team, alongside Belgian team mate Thierry Neuville, for the three-day event, which begins today.
The change from their usual car, which sports different team livery, comes as the team strives to consolidate its second place in the WRC manufacturers' championship.
Paddon played down the car swap, saying it ''doesn't really change things at all'' from a technical perspective.
''Absolutely nothing changes other than the car number on the door. The spec of the car, personnel, etc are the same.''
What does change is that the expectation to perform well increases a notch.
''Of course, there is a little added pressure to score points for the team, but it's very pleasing that the team has faith in me to challenge for points that can help the team in the manufacturers' championship standings,'' Paddon said.
His recent experience of this event in the forests and shire roads of Coffs Harbour on the New South Wales coast, where he scored his career-best WRC result of sixth last year with Hyundai, means he has the highest probability of good points.
''Regardless of which car I'm driving, I have targeted this event all year as one of our strongest events, particularly if it stays dry and we have a road position advantage. We want to push for the podium. At this level that's not easy, but we will be giving it our best shot,'' he said.
With the running order determined by championship position for the first two days of the rally, Paddon will start 10th on the road.
Day one of competition today features three new stages, in the Taylors Arm area. Clerk of course Adrian Stafford described them as the ''greatest challenge the WRC drivers will have faced since the rally moved to the Coffs Coast region in 2011''.
Under championship regulations, the driver leading the standings - currently double world champion Sebastien Ogier - must start first on the opening day and potentially is at the most disadvantage.
Paddon was positive about both the new and old stages of the compact 311km rally.
He enjoys the ''open public type'' roads more than the forestry, he said.
''These will suit us well and, with the bulk of the mileage of the event similar to previous years, we're looking forward to it. Saturday's 50km Nambucca stage will be a key decider, but it's also one of my favourite stages - quite fast and flowing, with a few changes of rhythm.''
Route changes have dropped the previous city-based super special stage and tomorrow's leg concludes with a night run.
This change appeals to Paddon, who enjoys night stages more than short, sharp super special stages.
As Rally Australia is the closest to a home event Paddon and Kennard have now, they are looking forward to some bulked-up support from New Zealanders.
Paddon estimated ''three to four times as many'' supporters from New Zealand were planning to head over this year, compared with last year.
''It's amazing to have so much support from the groups that we are hosting, but also the hundreds of other Kiwis going over. It will make for a special experience and I'm sure it will give us that little extra lift to push for the front.''
Paddon and Kennard are one of 11 WRC crews competing in Australia.
They face eight stages today, then tomorrow they tackle just four stages, including two runs of the 50km Nambucca, the longest stage of the event.
The rally concludes with four more stages on Sunday.
