He's only driven 10km in the car – but Tauranga's David Holder isn't letting this put him off a rare opportunity to drive as part of the Hyundai NZ Rally Team in the 2017 New Zealand Rally Championship.

The championship starts in April – and David, who is defending his 2016 NZRC title, along with up-and-coming driver Job Quantock, will share the steering wheel of the Hyundai i20 AP4+ spec car with World Rally champion and fellow Kiwi, Hayden Paddon.

The team will contest all six championship rounds with the car, launched in Paddon's hands in 2016.

First in the driver's seat is David, who'll contest the NZRC's two opening rounds, the Otago Rally on April 8-9 and the International Rally of Whangarei on April 28-30.

Job is taking the wheel for Rally Canterbury on June 4 and Rally Waikato on October 14. And Hayden takes over for Rally Coromandel on August 26 and the two-day, Tauranga-based Rally New Zealand on November 25-26.

The team is run by Paddon Rallysport with Hayden co-manager alongside his Wanaka-based father Chris Paddon.

They've also appointed experienced engineer Mike Pittams, of Force Automotive in Tauranga, as car chief of the Hyundai NZ Rally Team.

The goal for the Hyundai NZ Rally Team is to win the manufacturers' championship title – and David is pretty excited ahead of his debut.

The 27-year-old considers it a huge privilege to represent both Hyundai NZ and Paddon Rallysport.

'Driving for a manufacturer-based team, spearheaded by a WRC star, is something you dream about. When Hayden approached me mid-last year it was both surprising and hugely exciting.

'Clearly, we want to do our best for the team and help win the 2017 manufacturers' title, but we need to be realistic in our expectations; something I will work with Hayden and the team on to plan our approach to each event to extract the best from me and the car.”

With Jason Farmer in the co-driver's seat, David knows he has more experience to gain. 'To work with, and learn from, such a professional team is an absolutely invaluable experience.”

But David says the opportunity does come with its own steep learning curve.

'It's a different car and being involved in a professional team is a steep learning curve but it's definitely where we we're wanting to head, so it's great.”

David says testing done with the car is very limited, to about 10km for him so far, but he gets another test on the way to the Otago rally.

And while he doesn't currently have plans to race in the other NZRC rounds – he might get a lease car so he can get more seat-time and experience.

'The other side of it is we may even be involved with the Hyundai team in a background job for the rest of the championship – this will still be all good learning for us.”

Hayden says his main target is obviously the WRC programme. 'But to keep me sane it's good to have projects outside the WRC; they give me a different perspective on things.”

The key expectation for David and Job is for them to develop as drivers, says Hayden.

'We know we have a competitive package with the Hyundai AP4+ car and believe David can be competitive on the road while, at the same time, further developing his skills.

'However, Job is still very green and the whole point of the scholarship programme is to work with him to help him grow.”

And how does David feel ahead of next month? 'Normally, I'm pretty hands-on organising my car and travel etc. But essentially my job within the Paddon Rallysport team is just to drive – so it's freed my time up a lot more than normal.

'I'm using the extra time to develop my pace notes and prepare more both physically and mentally.”

But he'll have one familiar face nearby – his former race manager and engineer Mike Pittams is car chief. 'He was my mechanic and he's transitioned through the championship purely through his own expertise.

'Mike and I are friends and familiar with each other so it's worked out really well.

'This also makes the transition to the Hyundai team really easy for both of us.”

And has racing for the Hyundai team put the pressure on David? 'No not really, I've been given the expectations from Hayden and the Hyundai team – obviously personally you always like to win.

'But we're taking the approach that it's a chance for us to really learn, especially this first event.

'And if we get to the end of the event, hopefully we still have a good result overall.”