Entry List: Rally Sweden

A total of 52 cars are set to start the WRC’s only pure snow and ice fixture, which takes place from 9 – 12 February. They include nine top-tier Rally1 vehicles plus 25 in the WRC2 category.

Topping the list, of course, is last year’s Sweden winner and reigning WRC champion Kalle Rovanperä. He’s joined by Toyota Gazoo Racing team-mates Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta – the latter of whom makes his debut as a points-scoring driver for Toyota’s main team.  

Having historically steered M-Sport Ford machinery, popular Italian Lorenzo Bertelli becomes the first privateer to drive one of Toyota’s GR Yaris cars. He’ll be co-driven by Simone Scattolin next month in Umeå.

Craig Breen takes to the wheel of Hyundai’s third car, marking his first start with the i20 N team since returning to its roster after a year with M-Sport Ford. He teams up with flying Finn Esapekka Lappi plus Belgium’s Thierry Neuville, while M-Sport’s hopes rest on the shoulders of Ott Tänak and Pierre-Louis Loubet in a pair of Puma cars.

As ever, the competition will be high in WRC2. Reigning champion Emil Lindholm kicks off his title defence aboard a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, with Oliver Solberg, Jari Huttunen, Egon Kaur and Sami Pajari among those driving similar cars.

Hyundai has entered two factory-backed i20 N Rally2s for Teemu Suninen and Fabrizio Zaldivar, while Georg Linnamäe fields a similar car - switching from the Volkswagen Polo he has campaigned in recent seasons.

FIA Junior WRC champion Robert Virves steps up to the leading support category using the Ford Fiesta Rally2 he won for clinching the crown. Lauri Joona, last year’s WRC3 champion, also moves up a class with a Fabia Rally2 Evo.

WRC3 entrants include Roope Korhonen, Toni Herranen and Filip Kohn, while nine drivers have entered the opening round of the FIA Junior WRC in identical M-Sport Poland Ford Fiesta Rally3s.