This year marks the 60th edition of Rally Sweden and the event is once again based in Karlstad with the service park located 85 kilometres away at Hagfors airport. Special stages run in the Värmland and Dalarna regions and, for the second time, the route will venture into neighbouring Norway, this time for most of the competitive action on Friday’s opening day of action.
As the only true winter rally on the calendar - where temperatures can drop as low as -25oC - spectacular action is guaranteed against the backdrop of a white wonderland. Tungsten-tipped steel studs protrude from winter tyres, providing amazing grip as they bite through the snow and ice. Paradoxically, Rally Sweden is one of the fastest events in the series.
As the first loose-surface rally of the 2012 season, Rally Sweden also marks the introduction of the new qualifying system, whereby P1 and P2 drivers will choose their start positions for the first full day of the rally. Following the free practice session and Qualifying Stage on Thursday morning, the drivers will choose their start positions according to the results of the Qualifying Stage with the fastest driver selecting first. This start order selection will take place at the opening ceremony that evening. Rally Sweden is also the second round of the FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship.
RALLY SWEDEN - ROUTE GRAPHICS
CHANGES TO THE ROUTE SINCE 2011
Rally Sweden kicks off on Thursday evening with its popular Super Special Stage at Karlstad’s trotting track. Friday presents a totally new prospect however, with seven of the day’s nine stages running in Norway. Each of these is new to the competitors and the day is rounded off with a more familiar stage in Torsby before another run around the Super Special Stage.
Saturday’s stages are all familiar with the exception of the short 1.87 kilometre stage near Hagfors which will be run twice, and on Sunday the route includes another short stage in Hagfors (4.66 kilometres) as the only partly new stage that day. In total, 37.2% of the route is new this year.
RALLY DATA
Total distance:
Stage distance:
Number of stages: |
1,842.60 km
349.16 km
24 |
RALLY SWEDEN TIMETABLE AND MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES ORGANISED BY THE FIA
Thursday 9 February
Free Practice (P1 & P2)
Qualifying (P1 & P2)
Shakedown (P3 and non-priority)
FIA press conference, Press Room, Karlstad
Autograph session, Karlstad Trotting Track
Opening show, including Start Position Selection,
Karlstad Trotting Track
Start and super special stage, Karlstad Trotting Course
Friday 10 February
First car arrives for re-group, Media Zone and remote service
(Kongsvinger, Norway)
First car arrives for re-group and Media Zone (Torsby)
First car arrives for end of day service and Media Zone, Hagfors
End of day press conference, Hagfors Service Park
Saturday 11 February
First car arrives for re-group, mid-day service and Media Zone, Hagfors
First car arrives for final service and Media Zone
End of day press conference, Hagfors Service Park
Sunday 12 February
First car arrives for re-group, mid-day service and Media Zone, Hagfors
First car arrives for re-group and Media Zone (Hagfors City)
First car arrives for final service and Media Zone
First car arrives for final Media Zone (Karlstad)
Prize-giving and podium ceremony, Main Square, Karlstad
FIA press conference, Press Room, Karlstad |
08:00-10:00 hrs
10:30-12:00 hrs
12:00-15:00 hrs
14:30 hrs
18:15 – 18:45 hrs
19:00 – 19:45 hrs
20:00 hrs
11:44 hrs
15:25 hrs
16:42 hrs
During the 45’ service
12:30 hrs
18:18 hrs
During the 45’ service
10:26 hrs
13:28 hrs
14:48 hrs
16:16 hrs
From 16:16 hrs
17:30 hrs
|
FIA PRESS CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE
Thursday 9 February
Sunday 12 February
|
Mikko Hirvonen, Citroën Total World Rally Team
Petter Solberg, Ford World Rally Team
Mads Østberg, Mads Østberg
Patrik Sandell, MINI WRC Team
Hayden Paddon, FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship
Winning FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship crew
Top three crews in the overall classification
Representative of the winning entrant |
ADDITIONAL MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES
‘Meet the Crews’: On Friday and Saturday the top three drivers will attend a ‘Meet the Crews’ session for media and fans. This will take place in the service park at the earliest opportunity during the end of day 45 minute service.
Autograph Signing Session: On Friday and Saturday selected crews will be available for a 15 minute autograph session. This will take place in the service park during the end of day 45 minute service at the teams’ service areas.
STAGE CHART
Shortly after the finish of the event on Sunday, a downloadable stage chart showing the progressive positions of the leading crews during the rally will be available. This is copyright free for editorial purposes and available at the following link:
http://www.fia.com/en-GB/sport/championships/wrc/2012/sweden/Pages/stage_chart.aspx