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Row over historic rally threatens Sweden's WRC future

Rally Sweden's defiance at FIA recommendations not to run historic cars in the middle of its World Rally Championship round could jeopardise the event's future in the series.

In an effort to balance its books, the second round of the WRC season also offers Rally Sweden Historic - a standalone event with its own classification that runs between the first and second loops of stages - as part of its programme.

For the second year in succession, that was criticised by the WRC drivers who say the historic cars damage the road and compromise the conditions.

In perfect winter weather - with a thick ice layer on the road - the problem would not be as pronounced, but when the Swedish stages had already been softened by warmer-than-expected conditions, the roads were, in some drivers' eyes "ruined".

The FIA had recommended ahead of the 2019 event that Sweden organisers should rethink how the historic rally fits in, but it went ahead unchanged - with event CEO Glenn Olsson saying "I don't feel any pressure from the FIA" and that FIA rally safety delegate Michele Mouton had told him "they were all happy".

Asked about his plans for 2020, Olsson replied: "Next year will be the same".

FIA rallying chief Yves Matton sympathised with Olsson's financial plight, but said the matter would be taken further.

"The FIA advice to the organiser is not to have this kind of situation," Matton told Autosport.

"We understand it is part of the business case for the event to survive.

"On the other hand, it's part of the evaluation of the event for the future and their place in the calendar; when the parallel [historic] rally affects the show from the WRC it needs to be taken into account on the evaluation of the event."

Matton remained adamant there remained a future for a snow rally in the WRC - even stating that he would like to see twice as many winter rounds on the calendar.

"I am in favour of having two snow rallies in the season," he said.

"It's part of the DNA of rallying that we drive in all conditions. It's fantastic to have a snow rally in the calendar.

"But, for sure, we have to take into consideration that the snow event we need in the calendar is a proper snow event guaranteed to have the level of snow or ice expected.

"We have to take into consideration the middle and long-term of the WRC calendar."

Matton denied the only option was to look outside of Europe for more certainty of snow.

"There are still places in Europe where we can have this guarantee," said Matton.

"Still some parts of Sweden and Lapland and some [other] regions, they have enough snow and cold conditions to have a proper rally.

"We need to get some guarantees that the snow rally is a proper snow rally."

Zdroj: autosport.com