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Rally Sweden 2020, Source: WRC

Rally Sweden will go ahead despite lack of snow

Rally Sweden will go ahead despite lack of snow

The only winter event in FIA’s WRC calendar will take place 13 - 16 February as planned but on a shortened route

Rally Sweden, the second round of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) World Rally Championship, will go ahead on February 13 as planned, but will run on a shortened route, WRC announced. The green light followed a positive inspection of the event route by the motorsport's governing body.

The unseasonably warm weather and resulting scarcity of snow in the Värmland region of Sweden and across the border in Norway has led to speculation that the event, which is unique in being the only purely winter race in the WRC calendar, would be canceled.

FIA sporting delegate Timo Rautiainen inspected on Tuesday the route of the race and a compromise was reached by Rally Sweden organisers, the FIA, and manufacturer teams.

Shortened route

Drivers will race over a 185-kilometer route in Värmland which will be a clipped version (over 100 km short) of the original route. The original checkpoints will be preserved, and full championship points will be awarded in the four days of competitive action.

The rally will open on Thursday night, February 13 with the traditional start ceremony at the popular Karlstad trotting track and finish on Sunday, February 16.

“We will welcome fans into the forests as planned. Those who are unable to attend the event in person will be able to enjoy live global TV coverage on Saturday and Sunday, as well as the live streaming of all stages on WRC+ All Live,” event CEO Glenn Olsson said on WRC’s official site.

Estonian Ott Tänak defending title

Estonian Ott Tänak, Rally Sweden 2019 winner and reigning WRC drivers' champion, will be taking part for Hyundai, eager to make up for crashing out of the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally last month, ERR reported.

Tänak's teammate, Belgian Thierry Neuville, is leading the championship after one race.

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