Walls of snow, deteriorating conditions… How are the competitors handling this start to the Rally Sweden?

Last night, at the end of the first special stage of the Rally At the Rally Sweden, the second round of the World Rally Championship, several drivers noted some unusual features observed during the reconnaissance runs. One of the points many observed, as the first images of the rally also revealed, concerns the height of the snowbanks. This may seem surprising, but it is indeed a very important factor, usually, on this rally. As Eliott Delecour explained to us yesterday, these snowbanks can, among other things, provide support in the corners and help keep the car on its line: therefore, not being able to rely on the usual height of these snowbanks can be unsettling for the competitors and can also impair visibility on the stages. Indeed, some drivers may be used to taking reference points based on these snowbanks, so they will have to start from scratch this year.

Be careful of road conditions this afternoon

Another topic discussed yesterday was the potential deterioration of the roads this afternoon during the second run. With a slight lack of snow and ice perhaps a little less thick than expected, the special studded tires for Rally Sweden will tend to tear up the ice a bit more than usual. This morning, all competitors will therefore be running through these three stages for the first time, from Rally1 to Rally3 of the JWRC, including the Rally2 stages, which will very likely cause some damage. It's also worth remembering that the Rally Sweden stages are laid out on gravel roads, not tarmac. It's difficult to know exactly what these stages will look like this afternoon, but it's a factor to consider. Unsurprisingly, studded tires will be essential again, but it remains to be seen to what extent their wear will affect the day's events. As we saw early this morning, punctures are still possible, and it's not the drivers who will be the problem. M-Sport who will say the opposite…

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