The 2015 Rally Sweden was a motor racing event for rally cars that was held over four days between 12 and 15 February 2015. It marked the sixty-third running of the Rally Sweden, and was the second round of the 2015 World Rally Championship, WRC-2 and WRC-3 seasons.[1]

2015 Rally Sweden
63rd Rally Sweden
Round 2 of 13 of the 2015 World Rally Championship
← Previous eventNext event →
Host country Sweden
Rally baseHagfors, Värmland County
Dates run12 – 15 February 2015
Stages21 (308.00 km; 191.38 miles)
Stage surfaceSnow
Statistics
Crews54 at start, 40 at finish
Overall results
Overall winnerFrance Sébastien Ogier
France Julien Ingrassia
Germany Volkswagen Motorsport

Sébastien Ogier won the rally on the last stage to extend his lead in the drivers' championship. The rally started with Pontus Tidemand, competing in a WRC-2 Ford Fiesta RRC, winning the Thursday night super special stage in Karlstad.[2] Ogier took the lead on Friday's opening stage, with teammate Jari-Matti Latvala chasing him for the lead. Volkswagen's third driver, Andreas Mikkelsen gained the lead on the ninth stage, after Ogier and Latvala both hit snow banks, dropping to 4th and 23rd respectively.[3] Mikkelsen kept the lead until Saturday's final stage, where Hyundai's Thierry Neuville took the lead after fitting new tyres for the stage; Mikkelsen and Ogier were both in contention however, at deficits of 1.5 and 9.6 seconds respectively.[4] Mikkelsen regained the lead on Sunday's opening stage, and held a three-second lead over Ogier ahead of the final stage, Värmullsåsen, which was also the event's power stage, offering additional drivers' championship points.[5]

Running in reverse order to their rally positions, Ogier bested Neuville's time for the stage – ultimately, the stage's fastest time – and just after he completed the stage, Mikkelsen hit a snow bank and lost 40 seconds to fall behind Neuville in the standings as well. Ott Tänak finished fourth to record his best WRC result since 2012, while Hayden Paddon recorded his best WRC finish – replacing the injured Dani Sordo – in fifth position. Next in the order was British duo Elfyn Evans and Kris Meeke, Martin Prokop finished eighth ahead of Yuriy protasov, who took his first WRC stage win, on the Kirkenær stage. Completing the championship points was Mads Østberg, who was in position for a podium spot, until he hit a snow bank on the eleventh stage.[6] He also scored an extra point by finishing third on the power stage. After the last stage, Volkswagen Motorsport decided to retire Latvala's car – he had managed to recover up the order to 12th place – due to a rules loophole in relation to the following event, Rally México.[7]

Entry list

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No. Driver Co-driver Entrant Car Cl. Eligibility
1   Sébastien Ogier   Julien Ingrassia   Volkswagen Motorsport Volkswagen Polo R WRC RC1 M
2   Jari-Matti Latvala   Miikka Anttila   Volkswagen Motorsport Volkswagen Polo R WRC RC1 M
3   Kris Meeke   Paul Nagle   Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team Citroën DS3 WRC RC1 M
4   Mads Østberg   Jonas Andersson   Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team Citroën DS3 WRC RC1 M
5   Elfyn Evans   Daniel Barritt   M-Sport World Rally Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC RC1 M
6   Ott Tänak   Raigo Mõlder   M-Sport World Rally Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC RC1 M
7   Thierry Neuville   Nicolas Gilsoul   Hyundai Motorsport Hyundai i20 WRC RC1 M
8   Hayden Paddon   John Kennard   Hyundai Motorsport Hyundai i20 WRC RC1 M
9   Andreas Mikkelsen   Ola Fløene   Volkswagen Motorsport II Volkswagen Polo R WRC RC1 T
14   Henning Solberg   Ilka Minor   Adapta Motorsport AS Ford Fiesta RS WRC RC1
16   Robert Kubica   Maciej Szczepaniak   Robert Kubica Ford Fiesta RS WRC RC1
17   Yuriy Protasov   Pavlo Cherepin   M-Sport World Rally Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC RC1
18   Michał Sołowow   Maciej Baran   Synthos Cersanit Rally Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC RC1
20   Kevin Abbring   Sebastian Marshall   Hyundai Motorsport N Hyundai i20 WRC RC1 T
21   Martin Prokop   Jan Tománek   Jipocar Czech National Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC RC1 T
31   Yazeed Al-Rajhi   Michael Orr   Yazeed Racing Ford Fiesta RRC RC2 WRC-2
32   Stéphane Lefebvre   Stéphane Prévot   PH Sport Citroën DS3 R5 RC2
33   Max Rendina   Mario Pizzuti   Motorsport Italia s.r.l. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X RC2 WRC-2
36   Fredrik Åhlin   Morten Erik Abrahamsen   Fredrik Åhlin Ford Fiesta R5 RC2 WRC-2
37   Lorenzo Bertelli   Giovanni Bernacchini   FWRT s.r.l. Ford Fiesta RS WRC RC1 T
38   Anders Grøndal   Roger Eilertsen   Anders Grøndal Citroën DS3 R5 RC2 WRC-2
39   Pontus Tidemand   Emil Axelsson   Pontus Tidemand Ford Fiesta RRC RC2 WRC-2
40   Jari Ketomaa   Kaj Lindström   Drive DMACK Ford Fiesta R5 RC2 WRC-2
41   Valeriy Gorban   Volodymyr Korsia   Eurolamp World Rally Team Mini John Cooper Works S2000 RC2 WRC-2
42   Oleksiy Kikireshko   Kuldar Sikk   Eurolamp World Rally Team Mini John Cooper Works S2000 RC2 WRC-2
43   Radik Shaymiev   Maxim Tsvetkov   TAIF Rally Team Ford Fiesta R5 RC2 WRC-2
44   Jarosław Kołtun   Ireneusz Pleskot   C-Rally Ford Fiesta R5 RC2 WRC-2
45   Gianluca Linari   Nicola Arena   Gianluca Linari Subaru Impreza WRX STi RC2 WRC-2
53   Ole Christian Veiby   Anders Jæger   Printsport Citroën DS3 R3T RC3 WRC-3
71   Eyvind Brynildsen   Anders Fredriksson   Drive DMACK Ford Fiesta RRC RC2 WRC-2
72   Robin Friberg   Stefan Gustavsson   Robin Friberg Citroën DS3 R5 RC2
74   Frank Tore Larsen   Torstein Eriksen   Frank Tore Larsen Ford Fiesta R5 RC2
75   Thomas Thunström   Jörgen Lindahl   Thomas Thunström Citroën DS3 R5 RC2

Results

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Event standings

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Pos. No. Driver Co-driver Team Car Class Time Difference Points
Overall classification
1 1   Sébastien Ogier   Julien Ingrassia   Volkswagen Motorsport Volkswagen Polo R WRC WRC 2:55:30.5 0.0 28
2 7   Thierry Neuville   Nicolas Gilsoul   Hyundai Motorsport Hyundai i20 WRC WRC 2:55:36.9 +6.4 20
3 9   Andreas Mikkelsen   Ola Fløene   Volkswagen Motorsport II Volkswagen Polo R WRC WRC 2:56:10.3 +39.8 15
4 6   Ott Tänak   Raigo Mőlder   M-Sport World Rally Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC WRC 2:57:56.5 +2:26.0 12
5 8   Hayden Paddon   John Kennard   Hyundai Motorsport Hyundai i20 WRC WRC 2:59:02.0 +3:31.5 10
6 5   Elfyn Evans   Daniel Barritt   M-Sport World Rally Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC WRC 2:59:23.5 +3:53.0 8
7 3   Kris Meeke   Paul Nagle   Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT Citroën DS3 WRC WRC 2:59:36.3 +4:05.8 6
8 21   Martin Prokop   Jan Tománek   Jipocar Czech National Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC WRC 2:59:56.5 +4:26.0 4
9 17   Yuriy Protasov   Pavlo Cherepin   M-Sport World Rally Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC WRC 3:01:02.7 +5:32.2 2
10 4   Mads Østberg   Jonas Andersson   Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT Citroën DS3 WRC WRC 3:02:21.4 +6:50.9 2
WRC-2 standings
1 (13.) 40   Jari Ketomaa   Kaj Lindström   Drive DMACK Ford Fiesta R5 WRC-2 3:05:07.4 0.0 25
2 (14.) 71   Eyvind Brynildsen   Anders Fredriksson   Drive DMACK Ford Fiesta RRC WRC-2 3:04:40.0 +32.6 18
3 (15.) 41   Valeriy Gorban   Volodymyr Korsia   Eurolamp World Rally Team Mini John Cooper Works S2000 WRC-2 3:08:34.8 +3:27.4 15
4 (16.) 31   Yazeed Al-Rajhi   Michael Orr   Yazeed Racing Ford Fiesta RRC WRC-2 3:08:47.6 +2:40.2 12
5 (17.) 39   Pontus Tidemand   Emil Axelsson   Pontus Tidemand Ford Fiesta RRC WRC-2 3:08:50.9 +3:43.5 10
6 (18.) 36   Fredrik Åhlin   Morten Erik Abrahamsen   Fredrik Åhlin Ford Fiesta R5 WRC-2 3:09:42.0 +4:34.6 8
7 (23.) 44   Jaroslaw Koltun   Ireneusz Pleskot   C-Rally Ford Fiesta R5 WRC-2 3:17:26.5 +12:19.1 6
8 (24.) 42   Oleksiy Kikireshko   Kuldar Sikk   Eurolamp World Rally Team Mini John Cooper Works S2000 WRC-2 3:19:33.1 +14:25.7 4
9 (25.) 81   Simone Tempestini   Matteo Chiarcossi   Napoca Rally Academy Subaru Impreza WRX STi WRC-2 3:23:58.0 +18:50.6 2
10 (26.) 38   Anders Grøndal   Roger Eilertsen   Anders Grøndal Citroën DS3 R5 WRC-2 3:26:54.4 +21:47.0 1
WRC-3 standings
1 (21.) 53   Ole Christian Veiby   Anders Jæger   Printsport Citroën DS3 R3T WRC-3 3:16:03.5 0.0 25

Special stages

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Day Stage
number
Stage name Length Stage winner Car
No.
Team Time Avg. spd. Rally leader
12 Feb SS1   Karlstad Super-Special 1 1.90 km   Pontus Tidemand
  Emil Axelsson
39   Pontus Tidemand 1:32.1 74.27 km/h   Pontus Tidemand
  Emil Axelsson
13 Feb SS2   Torsby 1 14.76 km   Sébastien Ogier
  Julien Ingrassia
1   Volkswagen Motorsport 8:36.6 102.86 km/h   Sébastien Ogier
  Julien Ingrassia
SS3
  Röjden 11
 
18.73 km   Sébastien Ogier
  Julien Ingrassia
1   Volkswagen Motorsport 9:59.4 112.49 km/h
SS4   Finnskogen 1 20.76 km   Jari-Matti Latvala
  Miikka Anttila
2   Volkswagen Motorsport 11:03.1 112.71 km/h
SS5   Kirkenær 1 7.07 km   Sébastien Ogier
  Julien Ingrassia
1   Volkswagen Motorsport 5:26.7 77.91 km/h
SS6   Kirkenær 2 7.07 km   Yuriy Protasov
  Pavlo Cherepin
17   M-Sport World Rally Team 5:34.4 76.11 km/h
SS7   Finnskogen 2 20.76 km   Jari-Matti Latvala
  Miikka Anttila
2   Volkswagen Motorsport 11:04.3 112.50 km/h
SS8
  Röjden 21
 
18.73 km   Andreas Mikkelsen
  Ola Fløene
9   Volkswagen Motorsport II 10:01.1 112.17 km/h
SS9   Torsby 2 14.76 km   Thierry Neuville
  Nicolas Gilsoul
7   Hyundai Motorsport 8:40.4 102.11 km/h   Andreas Mikkelsen
  Ola Fløene
SS10   Karlstad Super-Special 2 1.90 km   Sébastien Ogier
  Julien Ingrassia
1   Volkswagen Motorsport 1:34.5 72.38 km/h
15 Feb SS11   Fredriksberg 1 18.15 km   Andreas Mikkelsen
  Ola Fløene
9   Volkswagen Motorsport II 10:33.9 103.08 km/h
SS12   Rämmen 1 22.76 km   Sébastien Ogier
  Julien Ingrassia
1   Volkswagen Motorsport 11:36.5 117.64 km/h
SS13   Hagfors Sprint 1 1.87 km   Sébastien Ogier
  Julien Ingrassia
1   Volkswagen Motorsport 1:51.2 60.54 km/h
SS14   Vargåsen 1 24.63 km   Sébastien Ogier
  Julien Ingrassia
1   Volkswagen Motorsport 13:34.1 108.92 km/h
SS15   Fredriksberg 2 18.15 km   Thierry Neuville
  Nicolas Gilsoul
7   Hyundai Motorsport 10:27.6 104.11 km/h
SS16   Rämmen 2 22.76 km   Kris Meeke
  Paul Nagle
3   Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team 11:38.5 117.30 km/h
SS17   Hagfors Sprint 1 1.87 km   Robert Kubica
  Maciek Szczepaniak
16   Robert Kubica 1:57.1 57.49 km/h
SS18   Vargåsen 2 24.63 km   Thierry Neuville
  Nicolas Gilsoul
7   Hyundai Motorsport 13:24.4 110.23 km/h   Thierry Neuville
  Nicolas Gilsoul
15 Feb SS19   Lesjöfors 15.00 km   Sébastien Ogier
  Julien Ingrassia
1   Volkswagen Motorsport 9:05.8 98.94 km/h   Andreas Mikkelsen
  Ola Fløene
SS20   Värmullsåsen 1 15.87 km   Jari-Matti Latvala
  Miikka Anttila
2   Volkswagen Motorsport 8:14.1 115.63 km/h
SS21   Värmullsåsen 2 (Power stage) 15.87 km   Sébastien Ogier
  Julien Ingrassia
1   Volkswagen Motorsport 8:05.6 117.65 km/h   Sébastien Ogier
  Julien Ingrassia

Notes:

  • ^1  — The Röjden stage started in Sweden and finished in Norway after crossing the Sweden-Norway border.

Power Stage

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The "Power stage" was the second running of the 15.87 km (9.86 mi) Värmullsåsen stage at the end of the rally, which awarded championship points to the fastest three drivers through the stage.

Pos. Driver Car Time Diff. Pts
1   Sébastien Ogier Volkswagen Polo R WRC 8:05.6 0.0 3
2   Thierry Neuville Hyundai i20 WRC 8:10.4 +4.8 2
3   Mads Østberg Citroën DS3 WRC 8:15.5 +9.9 1

References

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  1. ^ "Rally Calendar Overview". WRC.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. Archived from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  2. ^ "SS1: Tidemand springs surprise". WRC.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  3. ^ "SS8/SS9: Mikkelsen on top after Torsby drama". WRC.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  4. ^ "Neuville vaults into Sweden lead". WRC.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 14 February 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  5. ^ "SS20: Final stage thriller awaits". WRC.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 15 February 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  6. ^ "SS11/SS12: Østberg falls back". WRC.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 14 February 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  7. ^ "WRC Rally Sweden: VW retires Jari-Matti Latvala's car at finish". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. 15 February 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
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