New-look for more northerly Rally Sweden

Although the second round of the 2021 FIA World Rally Championship remains based in Torsby, a raft of new snow-safe speed tests have been introduced in a bid to avoid the weather problems that truncated this year’s event.

More than 90 per cent of the route is different from this year. Rally Sweden CEO Glenn Olsson said the decision to move further north in Värmland and into the neighbouring Dalarna region was made quickly after a lack of snow disrupted February’s event.

“We don’t want to be in the situation that we found ourselves in last winter, even if that was really extreme. That’s why we’re moving further north,” he added.

“Even during the most extreme conditions last winter these northerly stages had snow. Immediately after this year’s rally we looked at the regions that had snow and worked on an itinerary accordingly.”

After Thursday night’s traditional opening super special stage at Karlstad trotting track, Friday’s first full day features two new long tests around the village of Lima, 120km north of Torsby.

They are repeated after a tyre fitting zone in Malung before the familiar Hagfors and Torsby sprint stage, based on the edge of the service park, end the day.

Norway’s tests move to Saturday, with Röjden and the new Skrockarberget straddling the border. Kristinefors, another newcomer, and Vargåsen, featuring the famous Colin’s Crest, are also included. All are driven twice with a repeat of the Torsby sprint closing the day.

Sunday opens with the new Kindsjön, ahead of a double run through Likenäs, which is used in the reverse direction to normal. The second pass comprises the Wolf Power Stage.

The 19 stages total almost 330km.