Rally Sweden: Nordic Škoda drivers aim for WRC2 points at the WRC’s only full snow event

› Second round of the FIA World Rally Championship: Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews from Finland and Sweden are among the favourites for a WRC2 podium position
› Renowned champion: 2017 WRC2 winner and former Škoda works driver
Pontus Tidemand returns to the series in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2
› WRC2 newcomer: Czech youngster Filip Kohn (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) continues his experience building mission

Mladá Boleslav, 13 February 2025 – Rally Sweden, second round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), hits the winter wonderland of the Umeå region from 13 to 16 February. Finnish Škoda crews Lauri Joona/Samu Vaaleri and Mikko Heikkilä/Kristian Temonen as well as former WRC2 Champion Pontus Tidemand from Sweden and Norwegian co-driver Jørgen Eriksen are candidates for a top position in the WRC2 classification.

Rally Sweden is known for perfect winter conditions with freezing temperatures and ultra-fast stages on frozen forest roads. This is the favourite playground for Nordic drivers, who normally keep the podium positions in the WRC2 classification between themselves. Knowing this all too well, the top five drivers of the WRC2 overall standings after Rallye Monte-Carlo are absent from the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship’s second round – they all come from countries far south of Scandinavia.

On the other hand, most of the Scandinavian WRC2 drivers skipped the season opener in the French Alps. They start their campaigns with Rally Sweden, where Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews from the Scandinavian countries are again among the favourites for the WRC2 podium positions. From neighbouring Finland, Lauri Joona/Samu Vaaleri and Mikko Heikkilä/Kristian Temonen bring their Škoda to Umeå. Pontus Tidemand from Sweden, 2017 WRC2 Champion at the wheel of a factory Škoda Fabia Rally2, returns to the world championship after a break of more than four years. Tidemand, who is assisted by Norwegian co-driver Jørgen Eriksen, looks back on one WRC2 victory and three more WRC2 podium positions at Rally Sweden. A pure Swedish Škoda pairing with high hopes are Isak Reiersen/Stefan Gustavsson.

Fabrizio Zaldivar from Paraguay and Argentina-born co-driver Marcelo Der Ohannesian are no newcomers to Rally Sweden. Sharing a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 of team Toksport WRT, they are again aiming for a top position in the WRC2 classification. Czech youngster Filip Kohn tackles the championship’s only full snow event for the second time. Supported by British navigator Ross Whittock, the 21-year-old competes with a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 of team Baumschlager Rallye & Racing.

Another Nordic duo expected to be among the fastest are Robert Virves/Jakko Viilo from Estonia (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 of team RaceSeven). As Rally Sweden is not among their seven events nominated as WRC2 points scoring rounds, Virves/Viilo aim for a top position in the class RC2 result. Of the 26 entries strong field of Rally2 competitors, 15 crews rely on a Škoda Fabia Rally2.

The second round of the 2025 FIA WRC season kicks off on Thursday evening (13 February) close to Umeå with a 5.16 kilometres long show stage at the famous Red Barn Arena. On Friday and Saturday, the teams face seven special stages respectively. The final three stages close the event on Sunday (16 February). In total, the teams have to complete 18 speed tests covering roughly 300 kilometres.

Did you know, that…

...a forerunner of Rally Sweden was held for the first time in 1950, but in mid-summer? Originally, it carried the name “Rally to the Midnight Sun”. The event has been moved to its now traditional winter date in 1965.

...during Rally Sweden in WRC’s inaugural season 1973, only winter tyres without studs were allowed?

...today the cars are equipped with tyres featuring 384 Tungsten studs each? The length of the studs may not exceed the length of 20 millimetres. Rally Sweden marks the first full snow event for new tyre supplier Hankook.

…Pavel Sibera/Petr Gross won the Rally Sweden class A5 in 1993 with a Škoda Favorit 136L?

…in the 2024 WRC season, Rally Sweden ended with WRC2 victory for the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crew of Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson?

Standings WRC2/Drivers (after 1 of 14 rallies)
1 Yohan Rossel (FRA), Citroën, 25 points
2 Eric Camilli (FRA), Hyundai, 17 points
3 Léo Rossel (FRA), Citroën, 15 points
4 Jan Černý (CZE), Citroën, 12 points
5 Roberto Daprá (ITA), Škoda, 10 points

2025 FIA World Rally Championship

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