2018 Rally Sweden
| 2018 Rally Sweden Rally Sweden 2018 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Round 2 of 13 in the 2018 World Rally Championship
| |||
| Host country |  Sweden | ||
| Rally base | Torsby, Värmland | ||
| Dates run | 15 – 18 February 2018 | ||
| Start location | Karlstad trotting track, Karlstad | ||
| Stages | 19 (314.51 km; 195.43 miles) | ||
| Stage surface | Gravel and snow | ||
| Transport distance | 1,086.28 km (674.98 miles) | ||
| Overall distance | 1,400.79 km (870.41 miles) | ||
| Statistics | |||
| Crews | 79 at start, 59 at finish | ||
| Overall results | |||
| Overall winner |  Thierry Neuville Nicolas Gilsoul Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT | ||
| Power Stage winner |  Esapekka Lappi Janne Ferm Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT | ||
| Support category results | |||
| WRC-2 winner | Takamoto Katsuta Marko Salminen Tommi Mäkinen Racing | ||
| WRC-3 winner | Denis Rådström Johan Johansson Denis Rådström | ||
The 2018 Rally Sweden (formally known as the Rally Sweden 2018)[1] was a motor racing event for rally cars that was held over four days between 15 and 18 February 2018.[2] It marked the sixty-sixth running of Rally Sweden, and was the second round of the 2018 World Rally Championship and its support categories, the WRC-2 and WRC-3 championships.[3] It was also the first round of the Junior World Rally Championship.[4] The event, which was based in the town of Torsby in Värmland County, was contested over nineteen special stages totalling a competitive distance of 314.51 km (195.43 mi).
Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila were the defending rally winners. Their team, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, were the defending manufacturers' winners.[5] Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul were the rally winners. Their team, Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT, were the manufacturers' winners.[6] The Belgian also became only the third non-Nordic driver to win the event after nine-time world champion, Sébastien Loeb, and defending world champion, Sébastien Ogier.[7]
Background
Entry list
The following crews were entered into the rally. The event was open to crews competing in the World Rally Championship, World Rally Championship-2, World Rally Championship-3 and Junior World Rally Championships. The final entry list consisted of fourteen World Rally Championship entries, fifteen in the World Rally Championship-2, and sixteen entries in the World Rally Championship-3, thirteen of which were eligible to score points in the Junior World Rally Championship.
Notes:
- ^‡ — Driver is eligible to score points in the FIA Junior World Rally Championship.
Report
Thursday
The Estonian, Ott Tänak driving a Yaris, defeated Thierry Neuville in their head-to-head heat on snow and ice-covered roads and stopped the clocks 0.3 second faster than Latvala. Finn Jari-Matti Latvala beat Mads Østberg in their duel by 0.3 second, the Norwegian impressing on his Citroën C3 debut to hold third as competitors headed north to Torsby for an overnight halt. Kris Meeke, driving another C3, and Hyundai i20 pilot Andreas Mikkelsen were tied in fourth, a further 0.3sec adrift. Thierry Neuville completed the top six in another i20. Toyota’s Esapekka Lappi and championship leader Sébastien Ogier lost time after sliding wide on the same corner near the finish. They were eighth and ninth respectively but just 2.9 seconds covered the top 10.[9]
Friday
The early starters lost time ploughing a clean route though fresh snow this morning. They endured worse when the tests were repeated this afternoon, battling ruts and narrow tramlines created by later competitors in the original pass. The Kiwi's charge deprived Craig Breen of a top three place, but the Irishman was delighted with his form. He also won two afternoon stages and was 0.5 second further back, with Mads Østberg completing a thrilling fight for third 0.6 second behind. Championship leader Sébastien Ogier was the first on the road. He was struggle with the grip all day and conceded almost three minutes en route to twelfth. So were Ott Tänak and Jari-Matti Latvala. The Toyota temmates separated by eighth and ninth, with Kris Meeke, who was fourth on the road, completing the top ten. Lying sixth after last night's curtain-raising speed test, Thierry Neuville moved his i20 to the front on this morning's second stage and held off a chasing pack which had the advantage of better conditions. Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen, who started further down the order, had a troublefree day while Hayden Paddon running out of the top three to let Hyundai 1-2-3.[10]
Saturday
Thierry Neuville was the rally leader, but the gap between him and his main oppoent was not big enough, especially for the Citroën driver, Craig Breen, who was eager to claim his first WRC victory. The Irish driver have once narrowed the gap to less than five seconds. However, the Hyundai star set four fastest stage times to build a 22.7-second lead. Team-mate Andreas Mikkelsen finished thrid after a spin today which made him dropped from second to fourth place. He could do nothing to reel in Irishman Breen and trailed him by 9.3 seconds. Hayden Paddon's car set-up was unsuited to this morning's forest roads and the New Zealander lost a handful of seconds stuck on the inside of a hairpin in the final stage to end 16.6 seconds behind Mikkelsen. Mads Østberg was distanced by the battling quartet. The Norwegian changed his C3's settings as he searched for improved balance but the switches affected his confidence and he reversed the adjustments. There was also an accident in SS13. Kris Meeke nosed into a snow bank but lost engine power when he regained the road. He stopped to clean snow from his Citroën's cooling system and as Ott Tänak tried to pass in a narrow section, the two cars collided and the Estonian's Toyota Yaris bounced into a ditch. That ended with the Briton's retirement and made five-time world champion Sébastien Ogier finally get into the top ten.[11]
Sunday
Thierry Neuville overcame an electrical glitch with his Hyundai's paddle shift gearchange system, a lurid spin into a snow bank and extreme pressure from the chasing pack to win the four-day encounter on snow and ice-covered forest roads by 19.8 seconds. He finally broke clear of his pursuers on Saturday afternoon and eased through Sunday’s final three speed tests to head Ireland's Craig Breen, driving a Citroën C3, for whom second was a career-best result. Andreas Mikkelsen finshed third after a spun at exactly the same point as Neuville. Esapekka Lappi hounded Neuville early on until he plunged down the order after burying his Toyota Yaris in a snow bank. He fought back and gained two places in the final three stages to finish fourth, 17.5 seconds adrift of Mikkelsen. A final stage mistake from Hayden Paddon made life easier for Lappi. The Kiwi stalled his i20 a couple of kilometres from the finish and trailed the Finn by 8.6 seconds. After only a day's pre-event testing, Mads Østberg was sixth on his debut drive in a C3. The Norwegian ran as high as second but he slid down the order as unfamiliarity with the car and a lack of confidence in its set-up cost time. Jari-Matti Latvala, who delivered Toyota Gazoo Racing a fairytale win last season on only the Japanese manufacturer’s second rally back at the top level after a 17-year absence, was seventh after being delayed by a troublesome front differential and adverse road conditions. Fellow Finn Teemu Suninen was eighth in a Ford Fiesta and the leading M-Sport World Rally Team driver after the squad, which headed the manufacturers' standings after last month's 2018 Rallye Monte-Carlo, endured a nightmare weekend. Ott Tänak and Monte-Carlo winner Sébastien Ogier dropped big chunks of time in Friday's opening leg as they ploughed a path through deep snow. They were unable to regain lost ground and finished ninth and tenth.[7]
Classification
Rally Results
Special stages
| Overall classification | |||||||
| Day | Stage | Name | Length | Winner | Car | Time | Class leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 February | — | Skalla [Shakedown] | 6.86 km | Thierry Neuville
|
Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC | 4:17.3 | — |
| SS1 | SSS Karlstad 1 | 1.9 km |  Ott Tänak
|
Toyota Yaris WRC | 1:32.7 | Ott Tänak
| |
| 16 February | SS2 | Hof-Finnskog 1 | 21.26 km | Ott Tänak
|
Toyota Yaris WRC | 10:32.7 | |
| SS3 | Svullrya 1 | 24.88 km | Thierry Neuville
|
Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC | 13:16.4 | Thierry Neuville
| |
| SS4 | Röjden 1 | 19.13 km |  Andreas Mikkelsen
|
Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC | 10:18.5 | ||
| SS5 | Hof-Finnskog 2 | 21.26 km |  Hayden Paddon
|
Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC | 10:19.5 | ||
| SS6 | Svullrya 2 | 24.88 km |  Craig Breen
|
Citroën C3 WRC | 13:17.3 | ||
| SS7 | Röjden 2 | 19.13 km | Craig Breen
|
Citroën C3 WRC | 10:06.1 | ||
| SS8 | Torsby 1 | 9.56 km | Hayden Paddon
|
Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC | 6:23.8 | ||
| 17 February | SS9 | Torntorp 1 | 19.88 km | Ott Tänak
|
Toyota Yaris WRC | 10:02.0 | |
| SS10 | Hagfors 1 | 23.4 km | Ott Tänak
|
Toyota Yaris WRC | 12:58.2 | ||
| SS11 | Vargåsen 1 | 14.21 km | Thierry Neuville
|
Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC | 8:35.9 | ||
| SS12 | Torntorp 2 | 19.88 km | Craig Breen
|
Citroën C3 WRC | 9:55.3 | ||
| SS13 | Hagfors 2 | 23.4 km | Thierry Neuville
|
Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC | 12:44.5 | ||
| SS14 | Vargåsen 2 | 14.21 km | Thierry Neuville
|
Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC | 8:28.2 | ||
| SS15 | SSS Karlstad 2 | 1.9 km | Ott Tänak
|
Toyota Yaris WRC | 1:34.7 | ||
| SS16 | Torsby Sprint | 3.43 km | Thierry Neuville
|
Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC | 2:32.7 | ||
| 18 February | SS17 | Likenäs 1 | 21.19 km | Ott Tänak
|
Toyota Yaris WRC | 11:11.8 | |
| SS18 | Likenäs 2 | 21.19 km | Esapekka Lappi
|
Toyota Yaris WRC | 11:15.0 | ||
| SS19 | Torsby 2 [Power Stage] | 9.56 km | Esapekka Lappi
|
Toyota Yaris WRC | 6:01.2 | ||
| World Rally Championship-2 | |||||||
| 15 February | — | Skalla [Shakedown] | 6.86 km | Mattias Adielsson
|
Škoda Fabia R5 | 4:31.9 | — |
| SS1 | SSS Karlstad 1 | 1.9 km | Pontus Tidemand
|
Škoda Fabia R5 | 1:36.8 | Pontus Tidemand
| |
| 16 February | SS2 | Hof-Finnskog 1 | 21.26 km | Takamoto Katsuta
|
Ford Fiesta R5 | 11:06.2 | Takamoto Katsuta
|
| SS3 | Svullrya 1 | 24.88 km | Jari Huttunen Takamoto Katsuta
|
Hyundai i20 R5 Ford Fiesta R5 |
14:00.9 | ||
| SS4 | Röjden 1 | 19.13 km | Pontus Tidemand
|
Škoda Fabia R5 | 10:57.9 | ||
| SS5 | Hof-Finnskog 2 | 21.26 km | Takamoto Katsuta
|
Ford Fiesta R5 | 10:54.6 | ||
| SS6 | Svullrya 2 | 24.88 km | Takamoto Katsuta
|
Ford Fiesta R5 | 13:53.0 | ||
| SS7 | Röjden 2 | 19.13 km | Ole Christian Veiby
|
Škoda Fabia R5 | 10:41.0 | ||
| SS8 | Torsby 1 | 9.56 km | Pontus Tidemand
|
Škoda Fabia R5 | 6:41.3 | ||
| 17 February | SS9 | Torntorp 1 | 19.88 km | Pontus Tidemand
|
Škoda Fabia R5 | 10:42.1 | Pontus Tidemand
|
| SS10 | Hagfors 1 | 23.4 km | Takamoto Katsuta
|
Ford Fiesta R5 | 13:39.9 | Takamoto Katsuta
| |
| SS11 | Vargåsen 1 | 14.21 km | Takamoto Katsuta
|
Ford Fiesta R5 | 8:57.9 | ||
| SS12 | Torntorp 2 | 19.88 km | Hiroki Arai
|
Ford Fiesta R5 | 10:28.6 | ||
| SS13 | Hagfors 2 | 23.4 km | Takamoto Katsuta
|
Ford Fiesta R5 | 13:32.7 | ||
| SS14 | Vargåsen 2 | 14.21 km | Takamoto Katsuta
|
Ford Fiesta R5 | 8:52.9 | ||
| SS15 | SSS Karlstad 2 | 1.9 km | Janne Tuohino Takamoto Katsuta
|
Škoda Fabia R5 Ford Fiesta R5 |
1:38.7 | ||
| SS16 | Torsby Sprint | 3.43 km | Ole Christian Veiby
|
Škoda Fabia R5 | 2:37.6 | ||
| 18 February | SS17 | Likenäs 1 | 21.19 km | Pontus Tidemand
|
Škoda Fabia R5 | 12:03.1 | |
| SS18 | Likenäs 2 | 21.19 km | Takamoto Katsuta
|
Ford Fiesta R5 | 11:47.8 | ||
| SS19 | Torsby 2 | 9.56 km | Jari Huttunen
|
Hyundai i20 R5 | 6:18.2 | ||
| World Rally Championship-3 | |||||||
| 15 February | — | Skalla [Shakedown] | 6.86 km |  Yuriy Protasov
|
Citroën DS3 R3T | 4:50.9 | — |
| SS1 | SSS Karlstad 1 | 1.9 km | Denis Rådström
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 1:48.6 | Denis Rådström
| |
| 16 February | SS2 | Hof-Finnskog 1 | 21.26 km | Emil Bergkvist
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 12:09.1 | Emil Bergkvist
|
| SS3 | Svullrya 1 | 24.88 km | Denis Rådström
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 15:12.4 | Denis Rådström
| |
| SS4 | Röjden 1 | 19.13 km | Ken Torn
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 11:41.4 | Emil Bergkvist Denis Rådström
| |
| SS5 | Hof-Finnskog 2 | 21.26 km | Denis Rådström
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 11:43.5 | Denis Rådström
| |
| SS6 | Svullrya 2 | 24.88 km | Denis Rådström
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 14:58.4 | ||
| SS7 | Röjden 2 | 19.13 km | Ken Torn
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 11:30.4 | ||
| SS8 | Torsby 1 | 9.56 km | Ken Torn
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 7:14.8 | Emil Bergkvist
| |
| 17 February | SS9 | Torntorp 1 | 19.88 km | Denis Rådström
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 11:34.7 | Denis Rådström
|
| SS10 | Hagfors 1 | 23.4 km | Taisko Lario
|
Peugeot 208 R2 | 14:54.5 | ||
| SS11 | Vargåsen 1 | 14.21 km | Denis Rådström
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 9:38.4 | ||
| SS12 | Torntorp 2 | 19.88 km | Yuriy Protasov
|
Citroën DS3 R3T | 11:15.1 | ||
| SS13 | Hagfors 2 | 23.4 km | Taisko Lario
|
Peugeot 208 R2 | 14:38.9 | ||
| SS14 | Vargåsen 2 | 14.21 km | Taisko Lario
|
Peugeot 208 R2 | 9:32.1 | ||
| SS15 | SSS Karlstad 2 | 1.9 km | Emil Bergkvist
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 1:48.4 | ||
| SS16 | Torsby Sprint | 3.43 km |  Emilio Fernández
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 2:52.3 | ||
| 18 February | SS17 | Likenäs 1 | 21.19 km | Emil Bergkvist
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 13:06.4 | |
| SS18 | Likenäs 2 | 21.19 km | Emil Bergkvist
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 12:58.9 | ||
| SS19 | Torsby 2 | 9.56 km | Ken Torn
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 6:49.1 | ||
| Junior World Rally Championship | |||||||
| 15 February | — | Skalla [Shakedown] | 6.86 km | Emil Bergkvist
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 4:55.1 | — |
| SS1 | SSS Karlstad 1 | 1.9 km | Denis Rådström
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 1:48.6 | Denis Rådström
| |
| 16 February | SS2 | Hof-Finnskog 1 | 21.26 km | Emil Bergkvist
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 12:09.1 | Emil Bergkvist
|
| SS3 | Svullrya 1 | 24.88 km | Denis Rådström
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 15:12.4 | Denis Rådström
| |
| SS4 | Röjden 1 | 19.13 km | Ken Torn
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 11:41.4 | Emil Bergkvist Denis Rådström
| |
| SS5 | Hof-Finnskog 2 | 21.26 km | Denis Rådström
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 11:43.5 | Denis Rådström
| |
| SS6 | Svullrya 2 | 24.88 km | Denis Rådström
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 14:58.4 | ||
| SS7 | Röjden 2 | 19.13 km | Ken Torn
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 11:30.4 | ||
| SS8 | Torsby 1 | 9.56 km | Ken Torn
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 7:14.8 | Emil Bergkvist
| |
| 17 February | SS9 | Torntorp 1 | 19.88 km | Denis Rådström
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 11:34.7 | Denis Rådström
|
| SS10 | Hagfors 1 | 23.4 km | Denis Rådström
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 14:57.0 | ||
| SS11 | Vargåsen 1 | 14.21 km | Denis Rådström
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 9:38.4 | ||
| SS12 | Torntorp 2 | 19.88 km | Denis Rådström
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 11:19.2 | ||
| SS13 | Hagfors 2 | 23.4 km | Emil Bergkvist
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 14:39.0 | ||
| SS14 | Vargåsen 2 | 14.21 km | Denis Rådström
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 9:32.8 | ||
| SS15 | SSS Karlstad 2 | 1.9 km | Emil Bergkvist
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 1:48.4 | ||
| SS16 | Torsby Sprint | 3.43 km | Emilio Fernández
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 2:52.3 | ||
| 18 February | SS17 | Likenäs 1 | 21.19 km | Emil Bergkvist
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 13:06.4 | |
| SS18 | Likenäs 2 | 21.19 km | Emil Bergkvist
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 12:58.9 | ||
| SS19 | Torsby 2 | 9.56 km | Ken Torn
|
Ford Fiesta R2T | 6:49.1 | ||
Power Stage
The Power Stage was a 9.56 km stage at the end of the rally. Additional World Championship points were awarded to the five fastest crews.
| Pos. | Driver | Co-driver | Car | Time | Diff. | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Esapekka Lappi
|
Janne Ferm
|
Toyota Yaris WRC | 6:01.2 | 0.0 | 5 |
| 2 |  Sébastien Ogier
|
Julien Ingrassia
|
Ford Fiesta WRC | 6:02.5 | +1.3 | 4 |
| 3 | Andreas Mikkelsen
|
Anders Jæger
|
Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC | 6:03.1 | +1.9 | 3 |
| 4 | Thierry Neuville
|
Nicolas Gilsoul
|
Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC | 6:04.4 | +3.2 | 2 |
| 5 | Ott Tänak
|
Martin Järveoja
|
Toyota Yaris WRC | 6:06.4 | +5.2 | 1 |
Championship standings after the rally
Drivers' championships
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Co-Drivers' championships
|
Manufacturers' and teams' championships
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References
- ^ a b "Rally Sweden Entry List". rallysweden.com. Rally Sweden. 20 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "Rally Calendar Overview". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
- ^ "Rally Aus retains WRC finale in 2018". speedcafe.com. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
- ^ "Global support for Junior WRC". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
- ^ "Latvala Triumphs in Sweden". wrc.com. WRC. 12 February 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
- ^ "Neuville Wins in Sweden". wrc.com. WRC. 18 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
- ^ a b "SUNDAY IN SWEDEN: COOL NEUVILLE NETS VICTORY". wrc.com. WRC. 18 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
- ^ "World RX champion Johan Kristoffersson to contest Rally Sweden". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. 30 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
- ^ "TÄNAK LEADS IN SWEDEN". WRC Official. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
- ^ "FRIDAY IN SWEDEN: NEUVILLE HEADS HYUNDAI 1-2-3". WRC Official. 16 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
- ^ "SATURDAY IN SWEDEN: LEADER NEUVILLE DISTANCES PACK". WRC Official. 17 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
External links
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