The H&H preview to WRC Rally Sweden

Total distance: 2,059,89km
Stage distance: 351km
Number of stages: 22

The WRC Rally Sweden marks the start of the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship season, as well as the first competitive outing of the new generation of 1.6 litre turbocharged World Rally Cars. In addition to the manufacturer entries from Citroën and Ford, five other one and two-car teams have currently registered for the Championship and, until MINI joins the series later in the year, the top of the leaderboard is likely to be dominated by Citroën DS3 and Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Cars. This year tyre regulations have also changed and all entrants in 4WD cars must use the tyres produced by the registered suppliers – Michelin and DMack – except for non-priority entrants driving 4WD Group N and 2WD cars.

This year’s regulations also stipulate the running of a live televised “Power Stage”, and this will be the first event where crews will compete for additional bonus points for finishing first, second and third on this one highlighted stage.

Rally Sweden 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 first time, the route will venture into neighbouring Norway. While the Løvhaugen stage (SS4/7) starts and finishes in Sweden, the bulk of the competitive action takes place in Norway. This is also the first time one WRC special stage has run in two countries.

The event is also the opening round of the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship, and no fewer than 14 of the 18 entrants currently registered have nominated Sweden as one of their qualifying rounds.