WRC announces cancellation of 2021 Rally Sweden
The WRC has announced that February’s Rally Sweden will not go ahead as planned, becoming the first event on the series’ 2021 calendar to be cancelled due to coronavirus.
Sweden was one of the three countries to successfully hold a WRC event on its original slot this year before the coronavirus pandemic took hold and led to a series of cancellations.
The season finally resumed with Estonia in September after a major calendar revamp, and experienced further changes after that, with notably the Ypres Rally in Belgium cancelled and an extra event in Monza added to cap off the year.
With just over a month until the start of the 2021 WRC campaign in Monte Carlo, Swedish authorities have communicated their inability to host the second round of the season on February 11-14.
A rise in COVID-19 cases in Sweden was cited as the reason behind the cancellation. The country's case tally has more than tripled from 100,000 on October 15 to 320,000 as of Monday, according to the latest information on real-time statistics website Worldometer.
“Rally Sweden organisers, the FIA and WRC Promoter fully understand that the health of the local population is of primary concern and are committed to a collective duty of care to protect both the Varmland community and the WRC family,” Rally Sweden CEO Glenn Olsson said.
“During our planning, we have closely monitored what is a constantly evolving Covid-19 situation in the region. While we are naturally extremely disappointed, especially given the exciting new-look itinerary, this is a decision we support.”
The WRC said it is in negotiations with promoters to find an alternative venue to replace Sweden and hopes to announce a replacement event shortly.
The original WRC calendar for 2021 calendar comprised 12 rounds, with Catalunya, Chile, Japan and Kenya all making a return and Croatia being a new addition to replace Mexico.
Monte Carlo is still scheduled to open the new campaign on January 21-24.
Related video
The early setbacks that shaped the WRC's greatest driver Loeb
Oliver Solberg lands two-year Hyundai deal
Kovalainen pushing on with Japan WRC plans as JRC title looms
Ex-Formula 1 racer Heikki Kovalainen is pressing ahead with preparations for a one-off WRC outing in Japan in November as he stands on the cusp of domestic title success.
Hyundai cautiously optimistic after shock Finland WRC win
An unlikely victory in Finland has left Hyundai Motorsport cautiously optimistic it has turned a corner after a difficult start to the World Rally Championship's new hybrid era.
WRC legend Kankkunen to drive hydrogen-powered Toyota at Ypres Rally
Four-time World Rally Championship title winner Juha Kankkunen will drive a hydrogen-powered Toyota GR Yaris in stages at next week’s WRC Ypres Rally.
Gronholm hopeful protege Huttunen can secure more WRC Rally1 outings
Rally legend Marcus Gronholm is hopeful his young protege Jari Huttunen will receive another shot in the World Rally Championship’s top tier after scoring points on debut in Finland.
How Rovanpera has reignited Finland's rallying obsession
Finland may have a small population, but it has long enjoyed rallying success. Now that the nation has a new star to cheer in the form of Kalle Rovanpera, interest in the discipline is surging once again.
How Tanak spoiled Rovanpera's Finnish homecoming
Kalle Rovanpera and Toyota went into Rally Finland as overwhelming favourites but came away as runners-up to a resurgent Ott Tanak and Hyundai. While it may have dampened the homecoming party, it still moved the Finn closer to the ultimate World Rally Championship prize
Inside Hyundai’s F1-spec mobile WRC home
Hyundai is one of the World Rally Championship's big three, and has a brand-new travelling facility befitting of that status. The team invited Motorsport.com for a behind-the-scenes look at its state-of-the-art HQ, which comes complete with all the bells and whistles you'd expect of a top Formula 1 outfit.
How Rovanpera's latest masterclass left his WRC rivals stumped
After trailing Toyota teammate Elfyn Evans for much of Rally Estonia's opening day, WRC points leader Kalle Rovanpera took advantage of a change in the weather and never looked back afterwards. Winning for a fifth time this year at the scene of his 2021 breakthrough, and with a breathtaking powerstage bonus for good measure, his advantage is already looking difficult to topple.
How the WRC captures its stunning visuals
Whether it’s the mountains of Monte Carlo, the snow of Sweden or the Kenya Savannah, the World Rally Championship is able to beam some of motorsport’s most spectacular footage to television screens while operating in the harshest of environments. Motorsport.com went behind the scenes to unearth the secrets that make this logistical challenge possible
Why WRC's Safari tour is more than just a rally
OPINION: A source of national pride in Kenya, the Safari Rally is also a sporting, cultural and economic phenomenon. And as last weekend's World Rally Championship round reminded us, it's a key driver in establishing Africa’s place in world motorsport.
How Kalle Rovanpera tamed a wild WRC Safari Rally in Kenya
The Safari Rally acted as a brutal test of driver and car resolve as multiple retirements opened the path for a historic Toyota 1-2-3-4 triumph, headed by star Kalle Rovanpera. But keeping things clean was only half of the challenge, as a well-timed charge when conditions worsened allowed the Finn to take control
How Tanak turned the tables to deliver Hyundai a timely WRC triumph
The 2019 champion has been a bit-part player recently, but Ott Tanak ended a 15-month drought in fine style with a dominant win in Sardinia. On a weekend when championship leader Kalle Rovanpera struggled with cleaning the road, his Hyundai rival has made his belated arrival into the title race and given cause for those predicting a walkover from the Toyota star to pause