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WRC Rally Sweden 2026

First held in 1950, Rally Sweden moved north to Umeå in 2022 to guarantee the deep snow and thick ice required for a world-class winter event.

The defining feature of this rally is the specialised Hankook Winter i*Pike tires, each fitted with tungsten-tipped studs that bite through the ice to provide incredible traction. This grip allows drivers to “lean” their cars against the frozen snowbanks to carry extra speed through corners – a high-stakes technique that can easily backfire if the banks are soft, sucking the car into a snowy grave. The 2026 route introduces a revamped Bygdsiljum stage, now the longest test of the rally at over 27km, featuring a brand-new opening section.

Reliability is also tested to the limit here; mechanics must perform intricate repairs in temperatures that can plummet to -25°C, while drivers must adapt to the unique “floating” sensation of the car as it dances between the banks at nearly 200kph.

12
Feb
15
Feb

2026 Rally Season Tracker

stage analysis provided by Hankook competition
tarmac
snOW

R1 mONACO

WRC Rallye Monte-Carlo

22 – 25 January 2026

snow
ice

R2 SWEDEN

WRC Rally Sweden

12 – 15 February 2026

gravel

R3 kENYA

WRC Safari Rally Kenya

12 – 15 March 2026

tarmac

R4 CROATIA

WRC Croatia Rally

09 – 12 April 2026

tarmac

R5 SPAIN

WRC Rally Islas Canarias

23 – 26 April 2026

gravel

R6 PORTUGAL

WRC Vodafone Rally de Portugal

07 – 10 May 2026

tarmac

R7 jAPAN

WRC Rally Japan

28 – 31 May 2026

gravel

R8 GREECE

WRC EKO Acropolis Rally Greece

25 – 28 June 2026

gravel

R9 ESTONIA

WRC Rally Estonia

16 – 19 July 2026

gravel

R10 FINLAND

WRC Secto Rally Finland

30 July- 02 August 2026

gravel

R11 PARAGUAY

WRC Ueno Rally del Paraguay

27 – 30 August 2026

gravel

R12 CHILE

WRC Rally Chile Bio Bío

10 – 13 September 2026

gravel

R13 ITALY

WRC Rally Italia Sardegna

01 – 04 October 2026

gravel

R14 SAUDI ARABIA

WRC Rally Saudi Arabia

12 – 15 November 2026

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