WRC 2008 Uddeholm Swedish Rally

[zac510]

A friend and I have booked flights to go over and see Sat and Sunday's rallying. We're staying outside of Karlstad up near Lesjöfors.
I'm asking a friend to translate the stage descriptions that are on the website for us.
Only thing I might do is buy a new filter for my lens. Can't wait.

Anyone else going/been?

[zac510]

Anybody there?

[BertMk2]

You're not alone in here! Sweden is an event I'd like to go and see - although I'm not sure how much extra gear I'd need to buy to cope with the cold! Do you know what the expected tempertures are? Make sure you post some pics on your return

[Hi Low]

Evening There, I have just seen your post, Regards Rally Sweden a very good event to watch. Yes I was out there two year ago With Don Shannon and friend for three days Looking at VOLVO S engines chassis. Also meet up with Urban Berstrom(Rallycross blue volvo) and had half a day driving on a frozen lake in a 240 volvo weld diff and stud tyres. Loads of fun lots of side ways driving plenty of run off no trees just snow banks and on to watch the rally on Colin Mc Rae Jump. Very cold and loads of crazy people bonfires fireworks and alcohol,also big screen tv to see the cars start the stage and over the jump, very fast stage You will have a good time Good Luck.

[flying flynn]

Sweden is a great rally to watch,
I run a skid/rally course out there every February on a frozen lake. Brilliant country, genuine, nice people, who love rallying.
it doesnt get much better
Pat

[zac510]

We survived Friday at '07 RallyGB so Sweden should be a cinch (not being blase - we're taking all ski pants/jackets/etc).

I'd love to see some rallycross up in Norway or Sweden one day but that'll have to be on another trip.

[zac510]

Bert, yes will bring pics

[Mark Smith]

Preview on "dave" channel 19 freeview tomorrow evening (sunday) . WRC coverage is on Dave this year every sunday at 6.

[flor]

as i'm currently only 300km away anyway, i might head over. any stages recommended?

[flying finn]

Total Kms : 1,440.08 km
Liaison : 1,099.84 km
SS Kms : 340.24 km
Special Stages : 20

Thursday 07.02 > 1 stage (1.90km)
Friday 08.02 > 7 stages (120.24 Km)
Saturday 09.02 > 6 stages (120.88 Km)
Sunday 10.02 > 6 stages (97.22 Km)

home page > http://www.swerally.se/en,index.html
entry list > http://www.swerally.se/resources/doc...ved_by_fia.pdf
rally guide (3.85MB PDF) > http://www.swerally.se/resources/doc...ide_1_2008.pdf
Citroen preview > http://www.rallye-info.com/article.asp?sid=0&stid=6748
Ford preview > http://www.rallye-info.com/article.asp?sid=0&stid=6745
Subaru preview > http://www.rallye-info.com/article.asp?stid=6749

Championship Standings

1. Sébastien Loeb (F) > 10 pts
2. Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) > 8 pts
3. Chris Atkinson (AUS) > 6 pts
4. François Duval (B) > 5 pts
5. Petter Solberg (N) > 4 pts
6. Gigi Galli (I) > 3 pts
7. Jean-Marie Cuoq (F) > 2 pts
8. Per-Gunnar Andersson (S) > 1 pt

[BertMk2]

Sweden is one of my favourite events of the season

I'm hoping for a Hirvonen win and another Subaru podium would be good too.

[zac510]

MacNeall back in the navigator seat.. (or was he for Monte too?)

[flying finn]

Originally Posted by zac510

MacNeall back in the navigator seat.. (or was he for Monte too?)

this one (from the Sweden entry list) ??

#31 > Toshi ARAI (JP) Glenn MACNEALL (AUS) > Subaru Team Arai > Group N4

[zac510]

Yes.

[zac510]

Looks like it's just you and me going Flor! I'd like to hear some stage recommendations too but we'll probably just go to the points closest to our accomodation.
There is a Subaru POI file for the major GPS softwares but I found it missing a few spectator points, but there are raw coordinate points on the Rally Sweden website.

[Knowlesy]

Jari-Matti Latvala has a neat lead and (I am serious here) Sebastiaen Loeb rolled in SS4 and lost three minutes.

I'd love to see Latvala win this thing, he's a talent for sure.

[BertMk2]

Loeb has "retired", he'll restart under super rally rules tomorrow. The roll was followed by clutch problems (although he's still showing in 10th at the moment). Atkinson has lost 15 minutes after an off, the spectators got him back onto the road again though.

Is it wrong that I'm pleased Loeb has had problems?

[rdjones]

Top 10 at the end of Day 1

1. Jari-Matti LATVALA 1:03:33.3
2. Henning SOLBERG +56.3
3. Mikko HIRVONEN +58.2
4. Gigi GALLI +1:02.0
5. Petter SOLBERG +1:45.2
6. Mads ØSTBERG +2:15.1
7. Matthew WILSON +2:59.6
8. Toni GARDEMEISTER +3:21.6
9. Andreas MIKKELSEN +4:05.8
10. Patrik SANDELL +5:14.6

That's a very odd Top 10.

[Knowlesy]

A bit thin as per usual really, hence the odd look.

I'd say Tony Jardine has a chance of a points finish such is the level!

[btcckid]

Originally Posted by rdjones

Top 10 at the end of Day 1

1. Jari-Matti LATVALA 1:03:33.3
2. Henning SOLBERG +56.3
3. Mikko HIRVONEN +58.2
4. Gigi GALLI +1:02.0
5. Petter SOLBERG +1:45.2
6. Mads ØSTBERG +2:15.1
7. Matthew WILSON +2:59.6
8. Toni GARDEMEISTER +3:21.6
9. Andreas MIKKELSEN +4:05.8
10. Patrik SANDELL +5:14.6

That's a very odd Top 10.

]

where are the citroen's?

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Thinking that they would have been better off staying home. Sordo's got a 5-min penalty for his engine change after Monte Carlo (and tbh I really don't expect him to be able to claw back much time), and Loeb rolled early in the rally and retired (will restart quite a bit down the order tomorrow, though). Other "top" (WRC) runners missing are Andersson (engine failure early on), Atko (stuck in a snow bank for 15 minutes) and Aava (same there). I was a bit worried that the lack of snow would be a problem but the snow banks have made up for that.

[chunder]

Surprised Mikko is behind Henning, must have had an incident surely?

[The Eye]

In Swerally.se this is the results after day one.
1. LATVALA, J-M0.02. HIRVONEN, M.+48.23. SOLBERG, H.+56.34. GALLI, G.+1:02.05. SOLBERG, P.+1:45.26. ØSTBERG, M.+2:15.17. WILSON, M.+2:59.68. GARDEMEISTER+3:21.69. MIKKELSEN, A.+4:05.810. SANDELL, P.+5:14.6 Apart from Loeb not in the top the big surprice for me is Patrik Sandell. He drives a Peugeot 207 S2000. He is tenths overall and leads the P-WRC.

I think Hirvonen is in”Championship mode” “risk little, get many points!!” There is no way Hirvonen would be trailing Latvala 48 sec if he was driving flat out for the victory!!! Not after one stage!

[The Eye]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Magnusson

Thinking that they would have been better off staying home.on),

Why???do you think??

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Originally Posted by chunder

Surprised Mikko is behind Henning, must have had an incident surely?

I think Mikko was a bit slow out of service and got a 10 second time penalty dumped on him. Eye, I'm saying Citroën would rather have stayed home considering how this rally is turning out for them...