Rally Sweden heats up with bumper WRC3 entry

Fans can expect plenty of high-speed, edge-of -seat action on the snow-covered roads around Umeå, with the championship - which consists entirely of Ford Fiesta Rally3 cars at this round - celebrating its highest entry in its current format.

Leading the field away is Finnish rookie Roope Korhonen, who will be looking to build on his debut at last year’s Rally Estonia where he notched up 10 stage wins. He'll face tough competition from the likes of William Creighton, who, like several other drivers, is also undertaking an FIA Junior WRC programme this season.

Adding to the excitement is the French presence represented by Laurent Pellier, who has been making waves in recent years. The 27-year-old dominated last year’s Junior ERC series, earning himself a prize drive in this year’s Junior WRC, and will be hoping to show his skills as he graduates to the world stage aboard an unfamiliar car.

Toni Herranen, also from Finland, is another European Rally Championship graduate. Technical woes on his WRC3 debut in 2022 denied Herranen a podium on home soil, but he’s eager to make amends. Compatriot Jesse Kallio, 23, and Czech Republic’s Filip Kohn are both newcomers to the series.

Eamonn Kelly of Ireland, Tom Rensonnet of Belgium and Hamza Anwar of Kenya round out the field, bringing a truly international flavour to the competition. The trio will also be fighting for points in the FIA Junior WRC series, which kicks off this week.

Entry List (WRC3)

* Denotes a driver also registered for FIA Junior WRC points

• Full coverage from Rally Sweden will be available on WRC+ All Live here, including every stage broadcast as it happens as well as key interviews, features and expert analysis from the service park.