WRC: Rally Sweden 2012

Steve · Jan 25, 2012

Round 2 of the 2012 WRC season is up next. If you were disappointed by the relative dearth of snow in Monte Carlo, the Swedish round should satisfy your appetite.

Here is the general info lifted from WRC.com:

Round 2

09 - 12 Feb 12

Categories: WRC, SWRC

Based: Karlstad

Surface: Ice and snow covered gravel

Website: Rally Sweden

Back in its traditional slot as round two of the season following Rallye Monte-Carloâ€™s return to the calendar, Rally Sweden will continue to spread its wings in 2012 with almost the entire competitive route on day one taking place in neighbouring Norway.

Running for a 60th time, the event will once again be based in Karlstad with the permanent service park housed 85 kilometres away at Hagfors airport, where fans can get close up to the rally cars on several occasions during the rally.

Featuring 360 competitive kilometres over 24 stages, 11 of which will be run twice, the rally, which gets underway with a superspecial stage at Karlstadâ€™s trotting track, has undergone a number of changes for 2012.

The bulk of Fridayâ€™s stages will take place in Norway with a remote service halt in the town of Kongsvinger. The visit to Norway will stir memories of the countryâ€™s world championship qualifier, which last ran to great acclaim in 2009. Following a regroup in Torsby, back across the border in Sweden, crews will service in Hagfors before returning to Karlstad for a second run of the cityâ€™s superspecial stage.

Day twoâ€™s action includes classic stages such as Sagen, Fredriksberg and Vargasen, which features the famous Colinâ€™s Crest jump, named in memory of the late Colin McRae. Saturdayâ€™s itinerary will also include a run through the Hagfors arena stage a short drive from the permanent service park.

Sundayâ€™s stages take place around Hagfors and include runs through Rammen and Hafors. The Hagfors Power Stage will bring the action to a close. Itâ€™s the same stage as Varmullsasen in 2010. Measuring 15.42 kilometres in length, it could prove pivotal to the outcome of the rally.

Despite ambient temperatures dipping to as low as minus 25 degrees centigrade, fans flock to the stages in greater number to witness the spectacle of drivers charging through ice- and snow-coated roads at full speed, which can be achieved thanks to their metal studded tyres, which bite through the soft snow surface and into the hard-packed ground below.

As well as relying on their studded tyres, drivers make the most of the snow banks that line much of the route. They act as soft barriers and enable drivers to â€˜leanâ€™ their cars through the corners. However, they represent a major hazard when corners are taken too quickly with several drivers dropping vital time getting stuck or having their radiators filled with snow.
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Steve · Jan 25, 2012

Joining Dani Sordo in the second MINI will be Swedish driver Richard GÃ¶ransson.

Richard GÃ¶ransson to race Mini in WRC Sweden (ttagroup.se)

Racing driver Richard GÃ¶ransson will face the challenge of his professional life this winter. He will take on the worldâ€™s best rally drivers on their own territory â€“ in the top class!

After last years success where Richard GÃ¶ransson finished second overall in the PWRC class in Rally Sweden he is now ready for an even greater challenge, to compete in the WRC-class. A challenge he hasnâ€™t fully understood himself yet.

â€This is the greatest challenge in my career and I would be lying if I said I wasnâ€™t nervousâ€, Richard says. â€It is after all just over a year ago that I drove my very first rally and now I will compete in WRC.â€

Richard will be driving a MINI John Cooper Works WRC in Rally Sweden, a car entered by the british factory team Prodrive. Richard says a big reason for his WRC-drive in Rally Sweden is to become an even better racing driver.

â€Iâ€™ve been on top in racing for several years and for me itâ€™s important to continue develop as a driver and doing rallying is a way of achieving this. I learn how to improvise, to face different conditions in a much better way and quicker make the right decisions when behind the wheel. Rally is still something completely new for me and WRC is the biggest thing you can do as a rally driver, itâ€™s the Formula 1 of rally,â€ Richard explains.

Richard will continue his cooperation with Fredrik Eljas and Eljas Motorsport with whom he worked together in Rally Sweden last year. Fredrik Eljas will be involved as an advisor to Richard and responsible for events. He will also handle the test and competion programme Richard is planning in order to prepare for Rally Sweden.

â€Last winter Richard shoved us he has an extraordinary speed in a rally car despite few preparations before hand,â€ Fredrik says. â€The cooperation with Richard developed us as a team as well and this will be the first time Eljas Motorsport is involved in a WRC-programme in Rally Sweden.â€

Rally Sweden is held between February 9th and February 12th and Fredrik Eljas has a clear goal.

â€First of all we will make sure we have fun and enjoy the moment. Last year we set a the target of finishing top 5 in PWRC, a goal we surpassed with great margin with a second place. If we could get into the points this time around, meaning finishing tenth overall or better, it would be an extraordinary effort,â€ Fredrik Eljas concludes.

Experienced and succesful world championship rally team Prodrive develops and builds the MINI WRC factory cars. They look forward to the challenge of guiding Richard GÃ¶ransson against the worlds best rally drivers in WRC.

â€Prodrive are delighted to be working with a driver of Richardâ€™s talentâ€, said Richard Taylor of Prodrive. â€Although he is more used to dry tarmac Richard does have previous snow rally experience and we know that the MINI WRC car is very easy to drive and are sure he will have no trouble adapting to it. Our aim is to help Richard to achieve his best ever finish in Rally Sweden.â€

Follow Richard GÃ¶ransson at Richard GÃ¶ransson.
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Steve · Jan 25, 2012

Inspiration:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjAVYjZ0TOs]Rally Sweden 2011 - Long live WRC! - YouTube[/ame]

Crashton · Jan 25, 2012

Snow Snow Snow!!! :drool

Justa Jim · Jan 25, 2012

Great idea. Lets give the second car to an inexperienced driver. BMW really knows how to go for the win. ut:

Jim

B.A.D. · Jan 25, 2012

Maybe they should put him in a Justa Countyguy so he doesn't tear it up?

Crashton · Jan 25, 2012

Since Kris is not driving the 2nd MINI countryguy I think it is swell they are having a young driver take the helm. He has proven he can be competitive in a lesser car. Maybe he will show MINI he has what it takes besides sponsor cash. I wish him well.:fingerscrossed:

Snow Snow Snow!!!

IMHO snow & slippy conditions show driver talent rather than who has the fastest car. Fastest driver wins.

Justa Jim · Jan 25, 2012

Crashton said: ↑

Since Kris is not driving the 2nd MINI countryguy I think it is swell they are having a young driver take the helm. He has proven he can be competitive in a lesser car. Maybe he will show MINI he has what it takes besides sponsor cash. I wish him well.:fingerscrossed:
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Exactly my point Crash. The BMW is simply "playing" and is not serious about trying to win this.

Jim

Crashton · Jan 25, 2012

Guess I do not give a rats arse about BMW, but do care that a young guy with talent is getting a well deserved chance at a good ride. I think the Finn's in the Ford & the Citroen are a very good bet for the win. Oh & lets not forget Solberg.

To heck with politics, rally rally rally!!!

Justa Jim · Jan 25, 2012

I have to call it like I see it Crash and I do not see it the same way you do, which is fine. Heck, if you could get your farmer buddy back in operation, you could buy a ride in the second MINI WRC car. All it takes is money.

I am still interested in the battle between Loeb, Latvala, Solberg, Ogier and Hirvonen. Their teams are serious and Steve's great coverage makes it possible. I will cheer strongly for the MINI privateer teams, but as far as the MINI Factory Team goes, well, whatever.

Jim

Steve · Jan 26, 2012

Timing and tracking return for Sweden's WRC round (AUTOSPORT.com)

By David Evans | Thursday, January 26th 2012, 18:47 GMT
The World Rally Championship will take another step back towards normal service on next month's Rally Sweden, when the vital timing and tracking services return for round two.

Long-time provider of the timing and tracking Stage 1 Technology has agreed a deal with the FIA for the Karlstad-based event. Stage 1 Technology had been unable to attend the opening round due to former WRC promoter North One Sport being placed in administration earlier this month.

Stage 1 Technology managing director Simon de Banke said: "We have an agreement in place with the FIA for Rally Sweden, and intend to sit down over the next few weeks to discuss the longer term."

In Monte Carlo, the systems were provided by a local firm, but they were criticised by the manufacturers for falling down at key times.

Ford team principal Malcolm Wilson said: "The tracking system was quite difficult [on the Monte Carlo Rally]. For example, when Jari-Matti [Latvala] went off the road, we didn't know what had happened because the system had gone down again. We'll be pleased when normal service is resumed."

The system for the WRC opener was based on a mobile telephone signal. GSM signals are notoriously patchy in the mountains, but when combined with the number of people using mobile telephones on the stages, the mobile networks were unable to cope on a local level.

The Stage 1 Technology system uses a repeater plane constantly flying at 20,000 feet above the cars. Data between all competing cars, the plane and the service park is constantly being transferred, giving the teams a complete picture of where the cars are at any given point.

The return of Stage 1 Technology also means the teams won't have to rely on stop watches and pit boards to feed mid-stage information to their drivers, with the return of split times.

"Our team has worked on the WRC and on the timing and tracking systems for over a decade," added de Banke. "So I'm delighted for them and for the championship that our usual service will be resumed in Sweden."
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Steve · Jan 31, 2012

Exciting entry for Rally Sweden (WRC.com)

30 Jan 12

Twenty-one World Rally Cars will contest Rally Sweden next month with eight drivers set to chase points in the Super 2000 World Rally Championship section of the high-speed snow contest.

Sebastien Loeb, the defending world champion and current title leader, heads the entry in his Citroen Total World Rally Team DS3 WRC. Joining him in the all-conquering French squad is last yearâ€™s Rally Sweden winner Mikko Hirvonen, while semi-works cars will be run for newcomer Nasser Al-Attiyah, Rally Sweden rookie Thierry Neuville and Peter van Merksteijn Jr, a Citroen regular in 2011.

Ford hasnâ€™t been beaten in Sweden since 2006 and has two former event winners in its factory line-up, Jari-Matti Latvala and Petter Solberg. Rising stars Ott Tanak and Evgeny Novikov front the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team, which is running a third entry for Michal Solowow, who is driving a new-generation World Rally Car in competition for the first time.

Matthew Wilson and Henning Solberg will represent the new Go Fast Energy World Rally Team, Jari Ketomaa is back in a Fiesta RS WRC for the first time since last yearâ€™s Neste Oil Rally Finland, while Martin Prokop continues his 10-event WRC campaign with the Czech Ford National Team.

Mads Ostberg, who starred on Rally Sweden last season by leading before finishing second overall, makes his first start of the year in his Adapta-run Fiesta alongside new team-mate and World Rally Car rookie Eyvind Brynildsen.

Dani Sordo will once again head the MINI WRC Teamâ€™s challenge, which boasts local hero Patrik Sandell for the first time. Touring car racer Richard Goransson will also drive a MINI John Cooper Works WRC, the car of choice for privateers Armindo Araujo and Paulo Nobre.

Hayden Paddon heads the SWRC runners in his Skoda Fabia but will face tough opposition from category leader Craig Breen and PROTONâ€™s Swedish ace PG Andersson. Alister McRae makes his SWRC debut in a second PROTON. Maciej Oleksowicz and Yazeed Al-Rajhi are also SWRC first-timers in their Fiesta S2000s, while Pontus Tidemand and Marius Aasen have secured wildcard entries for the event.

Other notable names on the entry include the Volkswagen Motorsport duo of Sebastien Ogier and Andreas Mikkelsen, Anders Grondal and Brazilian Daniel Oliveira, who will drive a Subaru Impreza for Stohl Racing.

The event, based in Karlstad, takes place from 9-12 February and counts as round two of the 2012 FIA World Rally Championship powered by Nokia.
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rum4 · Jan 31, 2012

looks like fun, I will drive it!!!

Steve · Feb 2, 2012

Shakedown becomes the qualifying. (minimotorsport.com)

2 February 2012

The new Shakedown rules come into force at the Rally Sweden. For fans and teams, this marks a fundamental change to the start of those WRC rallies held on loose surfaces.

For rally fans, most rounds of the World Championship will now start one day earlier. From a fan's viewpoint, this is the biggest advantage of the new Shakedown regulations. Previously, the old format of the Shakedown took the form of a dress rehearsal ahead of the actual start of the rally and provided teams with a final opportunity to test and optimise the cars. The Shakedown has now taken on a real sporting importance, as the new format will be used to determine the starting order for the first stage.

What is new at the Shakedown? From now on, there will be a so-called "Qualifying Stage" at all rallies held on loose surfaces. Each team has thirty minutes to drive the Qualifying Stage in order to familiarise themselves with the route. On the third run, the official time is recorded for each team. The starting order for the timed third run is based on the current World Championship standings.

The actual starting order for the first Special Stage is not determined directly from the times recorded on the Qualifying Stage, however. The driver with the best time is given first choice of starting position for Special Stage 1. The second-fastest driver on the Qualifying Stage then selects his starting position, followed by the third, and so on. This way, the teams' times from Qualifying help to determine the actual starting order. If a driver relinquishes the right to stipulate his starting position, he must defer to all the other drivers.

Another new format is that the drivers start the following day in reverse order based on the results of the previous day. The slowest driver is first out onto the route. This is intended to spare the leader the disagreeable role of road sweeper and having to clear the route for those behind him. This also removes the temptation for drivers to slow down and drop back through the field at the end of the day, in order to be better placed the following day. At the few rallies held on snow, the teams must now employ cunning tactics to decide which starting position they are after. Depending on the grip of the snow, it may be beneficial to start out earlier or later.

The new rule changes the tactical planning for a rally. However, the rule changes also have consequences for the organisational sequence of the teams' preparations. They must now complete theirs tests before they actually travel to the rally itself. Everything must already be working perfectly when they start the Qualifying Stage now. The smaller teams, in particular, must rethink their planning, as another test not only costs time but also money.

Despite this, we are all excited about the premiere of the Qualifying Stage on 9th February.
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Steve · Feb 3, 2012

Rally Sweden or Rally Scandinavia? (best-of-rallylive.com)

by HervÃ© | 2/02/2012 20:23

Much of the first day action of this yearâ€™s Rally Sweden will take place in neighbouring Norway. The two other legs will be based nearer to the familiar service park at Hagfors Airport.

Unlike last year, the 2012 Rally Sweden will pay more than a simple courtesy visit to Norway. Friday morningâ€™s programme will see competitors cross the border actually while they are on SS2 (Mitandersfors/27.07km, the longest of the weekend), and they wonâ€™t return to Sweden until late in the afternoon for SS9 (Torsby) after contesting six new stages totalling 108.68km entirely in Norway (namely Opaker, Kirkenaer and Finnskogen, each run twice). The lunchtime â€˜Remoteâ€™ service park will be in Kongsvinger, while the town centre of Torsby will host a regroup.

Following the end-of-day service halts in Hagfors on Friday and Saturday, crews will drive the 85 kilometres south to Karlstad, where the super-special at the horse-racing track (Thursday and Friday) will be held, as well as the start and finish ceremonies.

The stages visited by the rally on Saturday and Sunday include such classics as Vargasen (which stars the celebrated Colinâ€™s Crest jump), Sagen, Fredriksberg, Lesjofors and Rammen. The 4.66km Hagfors test will provide the backdrop to the Power Stage.

The pre-start Qualifying Stage in Rada, near Hagfors, will kick off on Thursday morning at 10:33 local time. The order will help to determine Day 1 start orders for Priority 1 and Priority 2 drivers.

The total length of the 2012 Rally Sweden is 1,842.60km, including 349.16km divided into 24 special stages.
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Steve · Feb 3, 2012

I like the color scheme.

The look of Patrik Sandells Mini WRC (RallySportLive.com)

By RSL Staff â€“ February 3, 2012

After much secrecy, and several last minute changes, now Sweden World Rally Team reveals the design on teamâ€™s new MINI WRC, that Patrik Sandell will drive in Rally Sweden next week.

It was in a hurry. The team had just nailed the design when the news came: Prodrive driving the MINIâ€™s official WRC team was nominating Sandell to become the teamâ€™s second driver in Rally Sweden. The Swede is running for points in the manufacturers championship, and the car will therefore follow the factory teamâ€™s visual identity.
- It was totally unexpected for us and did some extra work. But there were no sad faces directly to it, it was a pretty pleasant problem, says Patrik Sandell.

Team manager Jan Pettersson adds:
- It was important for us to keep the Sweden World Rally Teamâ€™s blue-yellow basic design, even after we learned that Sandell had been nominated to manufacturers points. And I think that it was really good, says Pettersson.

With the nomination Sandell becomes team mate with Spaniard Daniel Sordo, who drove home a sensational second place for MINI at the WRC opener in Monte Carlo for a few weeks ago.

Source: rallysweden.com
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Steve · Feb 5, 2012

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQBAlJsMLsM]Richard GÃ¶ransson tests MINI WRC before Rally Sweden 2012 - YouTube[/ame]

Steve · Feb 5, 2012

Rally Sweden in race for TV coverage solution (AUTOSPORT.com)

By David Evans | Sunday, February 5th 2012, 21:06 GMT

The organisers of Rally Sweden are working around the clock to try and find funding for international television coverage of the second round of the World Rally Championship.

Svenska Rally AB, the organising company, has established a deadline of midday Tuesday to conclude deals to show footage from the Karlstad-based event.

This situation arose following the FIA's decision to transfer the television rights back to individual events, in the absence of an agreement with Eurosport - which had seemed set to take over the promotion of the WRC after previous rights-holder North One Sport went into administration last month.

Rally Sweden CEO Glenn Olsson said: "Finnish company Filmworks, which has produced TV broadcasts from the WRC for five years running, is prepared to come to Sweden on short notice, but we cannot make any decisions regarding production until we have secured that the revenues are in parity with the costs."

The production firm could offer newsfeeds from every day of the event along with a daily 26-minute highlight show and a 52-minute event review show on Sunday.

The second WRC round of 2012 will be filmed and shown in Sweden by terrestrial firm SVT, but it is possible it will not be seen around the rest of the world.

ITV4 had agreed terms to broadcast the WRC in Britain, but that deal fell apart amid the North One situation.
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Crashton · Feb 5, 2012

I guess we will have to watch footage on youtube. Some of the stuff from the Monte was of very high quality.

ScottinBend · Feb 6, 2012

Ya.....eurosport has always done a great job. I don't know the reasons behind the whole Eurosport thing, but it doesn't smell good from here.

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