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WRC 2011 gets off to flying start in Sweden

New rules and new cars make for spectacular start to WRC 2011 in the snow of Sweden.

By Tom Phillips

February 2011
The WRC is back! The world rally championship has been given a serious shake-up for the 2011 season to improve the spectacle and cut costs for competing teams. 

Ford and Citroen debuted all-new1.6-litre turbo-powered machines in Sweden at the weekend, with nine Fiesta WRCs and four Citroen DS3 WRCs taking to the snowy stages.

And if last weekend’s season-opener was anything to go by, the changes have been a success. A closely-fought battle over the 351-stage-miles eventually being won by Ford driver Mikko Hirvonen, who edged out the Fiesta of Norwegian rising star Mads Ostberg by just 6.5 seconds.

Citroen’s star Sebastian Loeb suffered from two punctures, which left him out of contention, but both he and teammate Sebastian Ogier also set fastest stage times throughout the weekend. 

The equal pace of the top cars, plus the arrival of the MINI team later in the season, shows that the WRC looks to be back on track. Here’s our gallery of the best from Sweden:
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Rally Sweden 2011   Rally Sweden 2011   Rally Sweden 2011   Rally Sweden 2011
1. Rally Sweden 2011

Ford driver Jari-Matti Latvala gets cheered on by his Finnish fans.



  
2. Rally Sweden 2011

Despite the snowy conditions, Rally Sweden is one of the fastest events on the WRC calendar.



  
3. Rally Sweden 2011

Ford was elated with the Fiesta's WRC debut, with the car taking the top three places.



  
4. Rally Sweden 2011

Sebastian Ogier showed serious pace in Sweden and is likely to be a championship contender.
 
Rally Sweden 2011   Rally Sweden 2011   Rally Sweden 2011   Rally Sweden 2011
5. Rally Sweden 2011

Ex-F1 champ Kimi Raikkonen delivered a solid performance in his new DS3 WRC.



  
6. Rally Sweden 2011

Citroen's DS3s will feature different roof graphics for each rally.



  
7. Rally Sweden 2011

Finn Mikko Hirvonen celebrates winning Rally Sweden for the second year in a row.



  
8. Rally Sweden 2011

Blind jumps and crests are some of the challenges faced by crews on Rally Sweden.
 
Rally Sweden 2011   Rally Sweden 2011   Rally Sweden 2011   Rally Sweden 2011
9. Rally Sweden 2011

Mechanics have to service rally cars outside despite the freezing temperatures.



  
10. Rally Sweden 2011

Norway's Petter Solberg jumps his Citroen DS3 on a stage which ends with a run down a ski slope.



  
11. Rally Sweden 2011

Fanatical Scandinavian fans light fires to stay warm in temperatures which fall to -28C. 



  
12. Rally Sweden 2011

Michelin has returned to the WRC this year. Studded tyres give amazing grip on snow and ice.
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