Feb. 07, 2020
Rally Sweden: Preview
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing targets a third Sweden triumph
The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team will look to build on its positive start to the season when it heads to round two of the 2020 season, Rally Sweden: an event it has won in twice in the last three years. Drivers Sébastien Ogier―a three-time previous winner in Sweden―Elfyn Evans and Kalle Rovanperä will aim to follow up their strong debuts in the Toyota Yaris WRC on Rallye Monte-Carlo, where Ogier and Evans both finished on the podium and Rovanperä was fifth on his first appearance at rallying's top level.
- 2020 Yaris WRC
Rally Sweden is the only FIA World Rally Championship event held fully on ice and snow, but metal studs inserted into the tyres provide significant grip and help to make it one the fastest rallies on the calendar. Drivers can 'lean' their cars on snow banks at the side of the road to carry more speed through corners.
This year's rally will proceed with a modified route after unseasonal conditions in the lead-up. As usual, a super special stage in Karlstad kicks off the action on Thursday evening. Friday features the Hof-Finnskog and Finnskogen stages in neighbouring Norway, plus the new Nyckelvattnet test on the Swedish side of the border. There will also be a short sprint stage finishing on the entrance to the service park in Torsby. Friday's route will be repeated on Saturday, before two runs over Likenäs stage on Sunday, the second pass being run as the Power Stage.
For the first time, there will be five Toyota Yaris WRC entries on the same event. Takamoto Katsuta will contest the second round of his eight-round campaign through the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRC Challenge Program, while Jari-Matti Latvala will return in a privately-entered car with another of the team's past drivers Juho Hänninen as his co-driver.
Quotes
- Tommi Mäkinen (Team Principal)
- "Rally Sweden has been a successful event for our team so far and we will aim for another top result there this year. There have been some question marks over how the conditions will be, but I hope that the organisers will be able to put on a safe and spectacular rally as usual. Rallye Monte-Carlo was very positive for us as our new drivers all looked very comfortable in our car, and I am confident that they can all perform well in Sweden too. As we have seen before, road position can be very important on this event, but we will have to wait and see exactly how the conditions are next week."
Sébastien Ogier (Driver car 17)
Elfyn Evans (Driver car 33)
Kalle Rovanperä (Driver car 69)
The statistics (Rally Sweden)
Year | Sébastien Ogier | Elfyn Evans | Kalle Rovanperä |
---|---|---|---|
2019 | 29 | 5 | 18 |
2018 | 10 | 14 | - |
2017 | 3 | 6 | - |
2016 | 1 | 9 | - |
2015 | 1 | 6 | - |
2014 | 6 | DNF | - |
What happened last year?
Ott Tänak claimed a dominant victory on Rally Sweden in 2019, the second win in three years on the event for the Toyota Yaris WRC. Tänak also won the rally-ending Power Stage to claim maximum points and lead the drivers' championship for the first time in his career. Kris Meeke finished sixth, while Jari-Matti Latvala finished under restart rules after going off on Friday.
- Rally Sweden 2019
Follow us!
- Follow TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT
-
-
- https://www.twitter.com/TGR_WRC (@TGR_WRC)
-
- https://www.instagram.com/tgr_wrc/ (@TGR_WRC)