Rally Sweden 2016

[Lousada]

watch the heli how low flies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI7j...ature=youtu.be

I thought they used drones for these kind of shots, but no

[Lousada]

Awesome vid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjdbhunBy7s

Some of the video- and photographers behaved really mental on this rally. Very often they appear right on the edge of the track in very fast sections. Look at this video at the jump on 1:43, some guy sitting there in the ditch right in the landing zone... Some people on this forum are quick to criticize the Polish Rally for poor spectator control, but how is this any better?

[BleAivano]

The early days of Rally Sweden: http://www.svtplay.se/video/6504771/...id-avsnitt-7-1

[Hartusvuori]

so at stages you watched,there was advantage or disadvantage for the 1st crew passing?

id like an answer from tommeke too,if he reads this post,as he watched about 8 stages if i remember right

On some corners it must've been disadvantage for Ogier to run first, but apparently - judging by his stage times - it wasn't much of a distadvantage. For example on Svullrya 1 we were on quite fast righthander in which if you went too wide, a ditch was lurking. Ogier first on the road went 1,5 metres wider than anyone else escaping the ditch by another 50 cm. But he was so fast! I think on that icy stage there were surprises for him too where the traction changed. Same on Power Stage Latvala was fully sideways on our corner (Mikkelsen's place) as a first car. Meeke followed sideways, but in the middle of the corner his line corrected to straight on unnatural manner. On other stages there was no pattern that which of the WRC crews went wider than others. All had it. In general once after a half a dozen cars the breaking points came visible and later on the ideal line, that changed and relaxed approaches. For the fastest R5s some surprise factor remained, but in general - as normally in winter events - the correct line is quickly drawn to the road.

I did the event from Thursday to Sunday, visiting recce and recceing only on Thursday. My friends did recce early in the week and conditions they met were very difficult. Organisers put on a huge effort to save the event and in the end, had you not known what kind of conditions were early in the week, there was no indication of the poor weather. All stages were very nice wintry weather. Many stages would've lasted the second pass too, at least on those roads we were. Supposedly in 2014 the roads on 2nd passes and afterwards were much more detoriated. Stage cancellations however only dropped off one stage from our plans as we originally planned to do only 2 stages a day. Route is so spread out and itineary so intense that anything else is just hurrying. Shakedown's cancellation was of course a setback. Apparently Sunday's Lesjöfors stage - if if they had done repairs - was cancelled due to ground stones which that stage is well-known for (remember Juho in 2014).

On recce I get to talk to many drivers, some of which asking the nasty questions. I didn't get Ogier to say he'd love Rally Sweden. He declined to understand when I said about the conditions that can't modern drivers adjust their speed to what's in front of them. On the contrary, Paddon said he'll do just that and drive only as fast as possible. Marc Marti suggested use of gravel crews with unpredictably changing conditions. In general conditions between the recce and the race were rather different.

About stars of the rally the most obvious are already mentioned. Evans - his so effortless, yet his times are great. This must be doing huge favours for his confidence. Ogier was really on it the first two days. On Power Stage he looked downright slow, but still 3 second scratch... Paddon was very clean and very fast. The two stages I saw with Camilli were very good too. I thought he'd be all over the place, but he was very much on the ideal line and quick. OK, he crashed, but he crashed hard. He was on it. Also the place was bad if you follow how the treeline goes there. Classic big crash place. Had it not been Camilli, it would've been someone else. A warning was placed after his crash.

My favourite driver must be Teemu Suninen though. This was the first time he convinced me. His speed was right there and he was all over the place. What else can you expect from spectator's point of view?

My surprise driver must Tempestini. I haven't checked his times, but he was clearly pushing. I think there's a chance within some timeframe he'll upgrade the last one step.

I'm happy that Rally Sweden gets to continue. I'd hope to see a move a bit up North as everyone else. I don't care so much about the snow, just drivable conditions. Biggest change would be some new stages which had not been used over and over again.

My friend's gallery from the event: http://rallirinki.kuvat.fi/kuvat/Rally+Sweden+2016/

[dimviii]

On some corners it must've been disadvantage for Ogier to run first, but apparently - judging by his stage times - it wasn't much of a distadvantage.

thats the impression i had too from watching all videos till now.Thats why i asked.
Thanks for your post mate!



nice photo of Evans

[tc10a]

On Vargasen 1 it was a big disadvantage to run first.

On Röjden 2 also a disadvantage.

[itix]

watch the heli how low flies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI7j...ature=youtu.be

I was mighty impressed with the helicopter pilots... the yellow one especially! They did tight maneuvers right next to the trees, in between the trees, landed and took off right next to trees etc... all very impressive.

I've flown (as in ridden, not driven) helicopters a bunch of time and none of the pilots I have flown with have dared to fly anywhere near the trees.

[dimviii]

[Mk2 RS2000]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM75...ature=youtu.be

Hayden enjoying the day after Sweden

[Lundefaret]

Perfect photos to show the differences in driving technique, and very easy to see why Ogier is the fastest and safest.