There are two types of people in this world – those who ignore opportunity when it comes knocking, and those who open the door.

No-one knows this better than defending New Zealand rally champion David Holder and co-driver Jason Farmer who're determined to make the most of the opportunity to contest the Hyundai i20 AP4+ rally car at this weekend's Otago Rally.

Holder was selected to pilot the Hyundai NZ-backed i20 car for the first two rounds of the 2017 New Zealand Rally Championship – Otago's famed gravel rally this Saturday and Sunday, followed by the International Rally of Whangarei later in April.

Competing under the Hyundai NZ Rally Team banner, the car is run by Paddon RallySport, co-managed by New Zealand's world rally star Hayden Paddon and his father Chris with experienced engineer Mike Pittams, of Force Automotive in Tauranga, heading up the technical side.

And while Paddon will compete in the Tour de Corse, which is taking place in France the same weekend as the Otago rally, he's actively involved in what's going on with the preparation of both the car and the drivers.

Speaking from Europe, Paddon says it's been a busy offseason for the team, with Pittams working tirelessly to get the Hyundai NZ AP4+ car ready for the first round in Otago.

'We have focused on several developments from last year to improve reliability and to make the car easier to drive as it will be driven by first David Holder, then our Hyundai NZ Young Driver Scholarship winner Job Quantock, and then me.

'Adding EXT suspension and Pirelli tyres, we know we have a good package to compete for and win the NZRC manufacturers' championship title.”

Holder, who's originally from Invercargill and now based in Tauranga, has enjoyed the opportunity to focus on his own preparation for Otago, saying the lead-up to the event has been very different to what he's used to, but in a good way.

'With Mike and the Paddon RallySport team focused on the car, I've taken a leaf from Hayden's book working on my fitness.

'Admittedly it's an area that hasn't had a lot of emphasis over my career so far, so I'm definitely hoping to see some benefits. I've also been studying more in-car footage and generally just being more organised to focus solely on my job for the rally.”

With a small test in the Hyundai AP4+ car prior to Otago, Holder adds it has taken some getting used to.

'Everything on the car is built for the purpose of racing, unlike traditional production-based cars. There's more ‘tune-ability' in terms of setup and I love the sequential gearbox!”

The key expectation from the team is for Holder to continue his development as a driver.

'I think it's important for Jason and me to demonstrate consistent pace throughout the weekend. There's an impressive line-up of NZRC drivers, but first you've got to finish.

'If things go well, we'd be rapt to make the podium on our first event, but the key objective to score as many points as possible for the team.

'We also aim to enjoy the moment on the fast-paced Otago roads – how many people get this sort of opportunity? Norm Oakley and the Otago team put together a fantastic event every year as I'm sure competitor and spectator numbers will highlight.”

Talking of his Hamilton-based co-driver, Holder says he and Farmer are working well together and he's confident they will continue to get better and better the more time we spend in the car.

'Jason is equally excited to be given the opportunity to represent Paddon Rallysport and Hyundai New Zealand.”

Holder and Farmer are among 59 entries for the opening NZRC round which gets underway in Dunedin's Octagon on Friday, April 7.

They then tackle 14 special stages with a competitive distance of nearly 285 kilometres, including Saturday's stages south-west of Dunedin around Lawrence and Sunday's around and inland from Taieri.

2017 HYUNDAI NEW ZEALAND RALLY TEAM SCHEDULE:

• ROUND 1: Rally of Otago, Dunedin – 8-9 April (Holder)
• ROUND 2: International Rally of Whangarei – 28-30 April (Holder)
• ROUND 3: Canterbury Rally, Christchurch – 4 June (Quantock)
• ROUND 4: Rally of Coromandel – 26 August (Paddon)
• ROUND 5: Rally Waikato, Waitomo – 14 October (Quantock)
• ROUND 6: Rally New Zealand, Tauranga – 25-26 November (Paddon)

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Defending New Zealand rally champion and Tauranga-based driver David Holder says he's ready for this weekend's Rally Otago.