Rally Sweden

The Rally Sweden (), formerly the KAK-Rally, the International Swedish Rally, and later the Uddeholm Swedish Rally, is an automobile rally competition held in February in Värmland, Sweden and relocated to Umeå in 2022. First held in 1950, as a summer rally called the Rally to the Midnight Sun () with start and finish at separate locations, seventeen years later both start and finish became located in Karlstad. The main service park is located in the town of Torsby, which is actually much closer to the special stages than Karlstad. The competition is spread out over three days with the start of the first part on Friday morning and the finish on Sunday afternoon.

In 1973 the rally was introduced to the World Rally Championship and started to get international attention; the Swedish Rally has been also traditionally the only rally held on snow. Like Rally Finland, for many years the rally was known to be very difficult for non-Nordic drivers. The first driver to win the Swedish Rally not hailing from Sweden or Finland was Frenchman Sébastien Loeb in 2004; Frenchman Sébastien Ogier was the second non-Nordic winner (with wins in 2013, 2015 and 2016), and since then Belgian Thierry Neuville and Welshman Elfyn Evans have also recorded wins at the event. Estonian Ott Tänak also won in 2019 and 2023, but the question of whether or not Estonia is a "Nordic" country remains an open debate. Spaniard Carlos Sainz finished second four times and third two times.

The rally has been cancelled three times; in 1974 due to the oil crisis, in 1990 because of the mild weather and in 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic. The rally was also not held in 2009 due to the WRC's round rotation system. Weather continues to be a concern, as rising global temperatures reduce the likelihood of appropriately snowy conditions every year. The 2005 event was one of the warmest ever, turning many stages into mud and destroying the special studded snow tires used by the teams.

In 2021 it was announced that Rally Sweden would relocate to the northern Swedish city of Umeå after being held in the province of Värmland since its foundation. The primary reason for its relocation was that Umeå is considered a more snow safe region.

Results

1950 through 1969 Rally name Stages Podium finishers Rank DriverCo-driver TeamCar Time 1st International Swedish Rally1950 –1 Per-Fredrik Cederbaum BMW – h : – m : – s 2nd International Swedish Rally1951 –1 Gunnar Bengtsson Talbot-Lago – h : – m : – s 3rd International Swedish Rally1952 –1 Grus-Olle Persson Porsche – h : – m : – s 4th International Swedish Rally1953 –1 Sture Nottorp Porsche – h : – m : – s 5th International Swedish Rally1954 –1 Carl-Gunnar Hammarlund Porsche – h : – m : – s 6th International Swedish Rally1955 –1 Allan Borgefors Porsche – h : – m : – s 7th International Swedish Rally1956 –1 Harry Bengtsson Volkswagen – h : – m : – s 8th International Swedish Rally1957 –1 Ture Jansson Volvo – h : – m : – s 9th International Swedish Rally1958 –1 Gunnar Andersson Volvo – h : – m : – s 10th International Swedish Rally1959 –1 Erik Carlsson Saab 93 – h : – m : – s 11th International Swedish Rally1960 –1 Carl-Magnus Skogh Saab – h : – m : – s 12th International Swedish Rally1961 –1 Carl-Magnus Skogh Saab – h : – m : – s 13th International Swedish Rally1962 –1 Bengt Söderström British Motor Corporation – h : – m : – s 14th International Swedish Rally1963 –1 Berndt Jansson Porsche – h : – m : – s 15th International Swedish Rally1964 –1 Tom Trana Volvo – h : – m : – s 16th International Swedish Rally1965 –1 Tom Trana Volvo – h : – m : – s 17th International Swedish Rally1966 –1 Åke Andersson Saab – h : – m : – s 18th International Swedish Rally1967 –1 Bengt Söderström Ford – h : – m : – s 19th International Swedish Rally1968 –1 Björn WaldegårdLars Helmér Porsche – h : – m : – s 20th International Swedish Rally1969 –1 Björn WaldegårdLars Helmér Porsche 911 L 13 h : 21 m : 42 s

1970 through 1985 Rally name Stages Podium finishers Rank DriverCo-driver TeamCar Time 21st International Swedish Rally 11 to 15 February 1970Round 2 of the International Championship for Manufacturers 40 stages 1282 km1 Björn WaldegårdLars Helmér Porsche 911S 12 h : 20 m : 50 s2 Stig BlomqvistBo Reinicke Saab 96 V4 12 h : 44 m : 6 s3 Lillebror NaseniusBjörn Cederberg Opel Kadett Rallye 12 h : 59 m : 33 s 22nd International Swedish Rally 17 to 21 February 1971Round 2 of the International Championship for Manufacturers 39 stages1 Stig BlomqvistArne Hertz Saab 96 V4 8 h : 35 m : 29 s2 Lars NyströmGunnar Nyström BMW 2002 TI 8 h : 40 m : 42 s3 Harry KällströmGunnar Häggborn Lancia Fulvia 1.6 Coupé HF 8 h : 41 m : 36 s 23rd International Swedish Rally 17 to 20 February 1972Round 2 of the International Championship for Manufacturers 37 stages 802 km1 Stig BlomqvistArne Hertz Saab 96 V4 7 h : 43 m : 28 s2 Björn WaldegårdLars Helmér Porsche 911S 7 h : 47 m : 44 s3 Harry KällströmGunnar Häggborn Lancia Fulvia 1.6 Coupé HF 7 h : 52 m : 32 s 24th International Swedish Rally 15 to 18 February 1973Round 2 of the 1973 World Rally Championship 36 stages 1800 km1 Stig BlomqvistArne Hertz Saab 96 V4 9 h : 18 m : 31 s2 Per EklundRolf Carlsson Saab 96 V4 9 h : 20 m : 53 s3 Jean-Luc ThérierMarcel Callewaert Alpine Renault A110 1800 9 h : 34 m : 12 s 1974 rally cancelled 25th International Swedish Rally 13 to 15 February 1975Round 2 of the 1975 World Rally Championship 40 stages 800 km1 Björn WaldegårdHans Thorszelius Lancia Stratos HF 7 h : 19 m : 46 s2 Stig BlomqvistHans Sylvan Saab 96 V4 7 h : 21 m : 33 s3 Simo LampinenSölve Andreasson Lancia Beta Coupé 7 h : 31 m : 22 s 26th International Swedish Rally 20 to 22 February 1976Round 2 of the 1976 World Rally Championship 34 stages 722 km1 Per EklundBjörn Cederberg Saab 96 V4 8 h : 8 m : 26 s2 Stig BlomqvistHans Sylvan Saab 96 V4 8 h : 10 m : 2 s3 Anders KullängClaes-Göran Andersson Opel Ascona 8 h : 31 m : 10 s 27th International Swedish Rally 11 to 13 February 1977Round 2 of the 1977 World Rally ChampionshipRound 3 of the 1977 FIA Cup for Rally Drivers 472 km1 Stig BlomqvistHans Sylvan Saab 99 EMS 8 h : 2 m : 17 s2 Bror DanielssonUlf Sundberg Opel Kadett GT/E 8 h : 8 m : 19 s3 Anders KullängBruno Berglund Opel Kadett GT/E 8 h : 8 m : 32 s 28th International Swedish Rally 10 to 12 February 1978Round 2 of the 1978 World Rally ChampionshipRound 3 of the 1978 FIA Cup for Rally Drivers 39 stages 615 km1 Björn WaldegårdHans Thorszelius Ford Escort RS1800 6 h : 42 m : 40 s2 Hannu MikkolaArne Hertz Ford Escort RS1800 6 h : 44 m : 8 s3 Markku AlénIlkka Kivimäki Fiat 131 Abarth 6 h : 45 m : 26 s 29th International Swedish Rally 16 to 18 February 1979Round 2 of the 1979 World Rally Championship 38 stages 630 km1 Stig BlomqvistBjörn Cederberg Saab 99 Turbo 6 h : 34 m : 49 s2 Björn WaldegårdHans Thorszelius Ford Escort RS1800 6 h : 36 m : 9 s3 Pentti AirikkalaRisto Virtanen Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS 6 h : 39 m : 31 s 30th International Swedish Rally 15 to 17 February 1980Round 2 of the 1980 World Rally Championship for Drivers 29 stages 414.5 km1 Anders KullängBruno Berglund Opel Euro HandlerOpel Ascona 400 4 h : 17 m : 52 s2 Stig BlomqvistBjörn Cederberg Saab ScaniaSaab 99 Turbo 4 h : 19 m : 22 s3 Björn WaldegårdHans Thorszelius Fiat SwedenFiat 131 Abarth 4 h : 21 m : 39 s 31st International Swedish Rally 13 to 15 February 1981Round 2 of the 1981 World Rally Championship for Drivers stages km1 Hannu MikkolaArne Hertz Audi SportAudi Quattro 3 h : 48 m : 7 s2 Ari VatanenDavid Richards Rothmans Rally TeamFord Escort RS1800 3 h : 50 m : 0 s3 Pentti AirikkalaRisto Virtanen Rothmans Rally TeamFord Escort RS1800 3 h : 51 m : 47 s 32nd International Swedish Rally 12 to 14 February 1982Round 2 of the 1982 World Rally Championship for Drivers 25 stages 358 km1 Stig BlomqvistBjörn Cederberg Audi Sport SwedenAudi Quattro 3 h : 40 m : 15 s2 Ari VatanenTerry Harryman David Sutton MotorsportFord Escort RS1800 3 h : 42 m : 51 s3 Walter RöhrlChristian Geistdörfer Rothmans Opel Rally TeamOpel Ascona 400 3 h : 44 m : 29 s 33rd International Swedish Rally 11 to 13 February 1983Round 2 of the 1983 World Rally Championship for Drivers 24 stages 466 km1 Hannu MikkolaArne Hertz Audi SportAudi Quattro A1 4 h : 28 m : 47 s2 Stig BlomqvistBjörn Cederberg Audi SportAudi 80 Quattro 4 h : 29 m : 34 s3 Lasse LampiPentti Kuukkala PrivateerAudi Quattro A1 4 h : 32 m : 51 s 34th International Swedish Rally 10 to 12 February 1984Round 2 of the 1984 World Rally Championship for Drivers 27 stages 450 km1 Stig BlomqvistBjörn Cederberg Audi SportAudi Quattro A2 4 h : 16 m : 45 s2 Michèle MoutonFabrizia Pons Audi SportAudi Quattro A2 4 h : 24 m : 12 s3 Per EklundDave Whittock ClarionAudi Quattro A2 4 h : 33 m : 27 s 35th International Swedish Rally 15 to 17 February 1985Round 2 of the 1985 World Rally Championship 29 stages 505 km1 Ari VatanenTerry Harryman Peugeot Talbot SportPeugeot 205 Turbo 16 4 h : 38 m : 49 s2 Stig BlomqvistBjörn Cederberg Audi SportAudi Sport Quattro 4 h : 40 m : 38 s3 Timo SalonenSeppo Harjanne Peugeot Talbot SportPeugeot 205 Turbo 16 4 h : 42 m : 15 s

1986 through 1999