Skinny tyres equipped with tungsten-tipped steel studs are essential on Rally Sweden and provide remarkable grip as they penetrate the frozen ground, and drivers can often be seen wearing heated racing boots and anti-glare glasses that provide greater definition of the landscape.

The backdrop of the white forests provide a unique spectacle in the World Rally Championship and while a loose surface car set-up is the norm, engineers are forced to find solutions to keep the cars running optimally in these sub-zero temperatures. Because of its specialised nature, Rally Sweden has been dominated by the Scandinavians during the 63 years it has run, Frenchman Sébastien Loeb becoming the first outsider to claim victory back in 2004. Since then, only Sébastien Ogier has achieved a similar feat.

Between them, Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala have locked out the top step of the Rally Sweden podium over the last five years, but with new cars and different teams, they - along with all their rivals - are set for a totally different challenge this season. The FIA WRC 2 Championship has attracted a strong field of competitors, two crews have entered the newly created WRC Trophy for pre-2017 specification world rally cars, and just one competitor has registered in the two-wheel drive WRC 3 category.

The opening stage in Karlstad, SS11 and SS14 on Saturday and the Power Stage will be broadcast live.

ROUTE GRAPHICS

THE 2017 ROUTE

Sixty per cent of this year’s route is different to last year and the service park has also moved further north to Torsby. The event kicks off at the now traditional trotting track stage in Karlstad before heading back to Torsby for Friday’s action, which is largely based in neighbouring Norway. A completely new stage - Hof-Finnskog - has been introduced and the final stage back in Sweden, which also doubles as the Power Stage, finishes in the service park, a novelty of this event. Saturday includes a new stage, Knon, and some classics near Hagfors before heading back south to Karlstad for a second run around the super special stage. Sunday takes in just two stages; Likenäs - which has never been used in this direction - running twice before the action is rounded off at the Torsby Power Stage. 

WHAT WE SAID…

“The fact there are only two non-Scandinavian winners in the 63 years Rally Sweden has run just goes to underline the specialised nature of this event,” said Jarmo Mahonen, FIA Rally Director. “But one rally into the new season it is impossible to tell if anyone has the advantage and while Sweden is the only true winter rally on the calendar, each of our events poses their own unique challenge. I’m sure we will continue to see exciting, and potentially unusual, battles that defy the form books, which is great for the sport and its fans.”

RALLY DATA

MEDIA ACCREDITATION

The Accreditation Centre is located in the service park at Torsby Airport. The opening hours are:

RALLY SWEDEN TIMETABLE AND MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES ORGANISED BY THE FIA

FIA PRESS CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE

MANUFACTURER ENTRIES, RALLY SWEDEN

ADDITIONAL MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES 

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 service at the teams’ service areas. 

FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSIFICATIONS

The provisional classifications for all the WRC Championships can be found on the following link:

http://www.fia.com/events/world-rally-championship/season-2017/standings

STAGE CHART

Shortly after the finish of the event, 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/events/world-rally-championship/season-2017/stage-chart-13