Thierry Neuville started his hunt for the 2024 World Rally Championship crown in the perfect manner by scoring maximum points at the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally.
The Hyundai driver edged out Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier in an epic head-to-head where Neuville beat the eight-time world champion by 16.1 seconds.
Neuville is one of the favourites for the 2024 WRC title having previously finished runner-up on five occasions, while reigning champion Kalle Rovanpera is only contesting a partial campaign this season.
The Belgian’s three closest rivals also completed the top four in Monaco with runner-up Ogier ahead of third-placed Elfyn Evans and 2019 champion Ott Tanak in fourth.
Next up is Rally Sweden, which is the only round to take place entirely on snow and ice as drivers will tackle 186 miles in the north of the country.
Rally Sweden is one of the oldest events on the WRC calendar with its inauguration in 1950 - 39 years after Monte Carlo’s debut - and recent times have seen success for Tanak, who has won it twice in the past four years.
Neuville and Evans have both won it once, while Rovanpera will take Ogier’s place this weekend and the Toyota driver also has one victory in Sweden.
So, it is an event the front-runners have success at meaning WRC should be in for another epic weekend. Here is how to watch all the action.
When is Rally Sweden?
-
Date: 15-18 February
-
Time: 5:40pm GMT/6:40pm local time on Thursday 15 February
Rally Sweden starts at 5:40pm in the United Kingdom and 6:40pm local time on Thursday 15 February. However, the first stage does not begin until later at 6:05pm in the UK and 7:05pm local time once the ceremonial start has finished.
Before the opening stage of Rally Sweden is also the shakedown at 8am in the UK - 9am local time - on the 15 February where drivers test various set-ups to fine-tune the car to its optimum state.
|
Date |
Leg |
Leg total |
Start time |
|
Thursday 15 February |
Shakedown |
3.37 miles |
8am GMT/9am local time |
|
Thursday 15 February |
Ceremonial start |
N/A |
5:40pm GMT/6:40pm local time |
|
Thursday 15 February |
Stage 1 |
3.21 miles |
6:05pm GMT/7:05pm local time |
|
Friday 16 February |
Stage 2 - Stage 4 |
31.90 miles |
7:58am GMT/8:58am local time |
|
Friday 16 February |
Stage 5 - Stage 7 |
31.90 miles |
1:36pm GMT/2:36pm local time |
|
Friday 16 February |
Stage 8 |
3.21 miles |
6:05pm GMT/7:05pm local time |
|
Saturday 17 February |
Stage 9 - Stage 11 |
36.00 miles |
6:45am GMT/7:45am local time |
|
Saturday 17 February |
Stage 12 - Stage 14 |
36.00 miles |
1:15pm GMT/2:15pm local time |
|
Saturday 17 February |
Stage 15 |
6.26 miles |
6:05pm GMT/7:05pm local time |
|
Sunday 18 February |
Stage 16 |
15.84 miles |
6:27am GMT/7:27am local time |
|
Sunday 18 February |
Stage 17 |
15.84 miles |
9:03am GMT/10:03am local time |
|
Sunday 18 February |
Stage 18 (Power Stage) |
6.26 miles |
11:15am GMT/12:15pm local time |
How can I watch the World Rally Championship?
TNT Sports (formerly known as BT Sport) hold the WRC broadcasting rights in the UK, meaning it will air every round of the 2024 season.
It is TNT’s tenth year of broadcasting the WRC, however that does mean a subscription is needed to watch the series in the UK. TNT is available from £18 a month for new customers and that includes all four sport channels and Discovery+. Discovery+ is TNT’s live streaming platform, which means the WRC can be watched via a mobile or tablet device, as well as a console in 2024.
WRC can also be watched via Rally.tv which broadcasts every round, as well as holding the rights to show the European Rally Championship and World Rallycross Championship. Rally.tv has two deals for new customers: an annual pass for £119.99 or a monthly pass for £12.99.
How can I watch Rally Sweden?
TNT Sports will broadcast every stage of Rally Sweden with its coverage beginning on Thursday for shakedown at 8am. It starts again on Thursday evening for Rally Sweden’s ceremonial start ahead of the opening stage that night.
Early starts then commence the action on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, while TNT Sports will be on and off with its coverage depending on each stage’s start time. Rally.tv will use a similar format as it will broadcast every stage for Rally Sweden, but not as one continuous programme because stages start at various times across the day.
|
Date |
Leg |
Channel |
Coverage from |
|
Thursday 15 February |
Shakedown |
TNT Sports Extra 1 |
8am GMT |
|
Thursday 15 February |
Ceremonial Start |
TNT Sports Extra 1 |
5pm GMT |
|
Thursday 15 February |
Stage 1 |
TNT Sports 4 |
6pm GMT |
|
Friday 16 February |
Stage 2 - Stage 4 |
TNT Sports 2 |
7:45am GMT |
|
Friday 16 February |
Stage 5 - Stage 7 |
TNT Sports 1/TNT Sports Extra 1 |
12:45pm GMT/1:30pm GMT |
|
Friday 16 February |
Stage 8 |
TNT Sports 2 |
6pm GMT |
|
Saturday 17 February |
Stage 9 - Stage 11 |
TNT Sports Extra 1 |
6:30am GMT |
|
Saturday 17 February |
Stage 12 - Stage 14 |
TNT Sports Extra 1/TNT Sports 3 |
1pm GMT/1:15pm GMT |
|
Saturday 17 February |
Stage 15 |
TNT Sports 3 |
6pm GMT |
|
Sunday 18 February |
Stage 16 |
TNT Sports Extra 1 |
7:15am GMT |
|
Sunday 18 February |
Stage 17 |
TNT Sports 2 |
8:30am GMT |
|
Sunday 18 February |
Stage 18 (Power Stage) |
TNT Sports 2 |
11am GMT |
|
Date |
Leg |
Channel |
Coverage from |
|
Thursday 15 February |
Shakedown |
Rally.tv |
8am GMT |
|
Thursday 15 February |
Ceremonial Start |
Rally.tv |
4:30pm GMT |
|
Thursday 15 February |
Stage 1 |
Rally.tv |
6pm GMT |
|
Friday 16 February |
Stage 2 - Stage 4 |
Rally.tv |
7:45am GMT |
|
Friday 16 February |
Stage 5 - Stage 7 |
Rally.tv |
12:45pm GMT |
|
Friday 16 February |
Stage 8 |
Rally.tv |
5pm GMT |
|
Saturday 17 February |
Stage 9 - Stage 11 |
Rally.tv |
6:30am GMT |
|
Saturday 17 February |
Stage 12 - Stage 14 |
Rally.tv |
12:30pm GMT |
|
Saturday 17 February |
Stage 15 |
Rally.tv |
5:15pm GMT |
|
Sunday 18 February |
Stage 16 |
Rally.tv |
6:15am GMT |
|
Sunday 18 February |
Stage 17 |
Rally.tv |
8:30am GMT |
|
Sunday 18 February |
Stage 18 (Power Stage) |
Rally.tv |
11am GMT |
When can I watch the Rally Sweden highlights?
Rally Sweden highlights are available via Red Bull TV, who will air a package at 9pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. TNT Sports will also broadcast a 30-minute highlights programme at 10pm on those nights showing the day’s action.
Another WRC highlights package will be broadcast by ITV4 at 10:15pm on Wednesday 21 February and that programme will run for one hour.
Daily highlights are also available via Autosport, while the official WRC YouTube channel will also upload a shorter highlights reel soon after the day has finished.
|
Date |
Channel |
Time |
|
Friday 16 February |
Red Bull TV |
9pm GMT |
|
Friday 16 February |
TNT Sports 2 |
10pm GMT |
|
Saturday 17 February |
Red Bull TV |
9pm GMT |
|
Saturday 17 February |
TNT Sports 3 |
10pm GMT |
|
Sunday 18 February |
Red Bull TV |
9pm GMT |
|
Sunday 18 February |
TNT Sports 4 |
10pm GMT |
|
Wednesday 21 February |
ITV4 |
10:15pm GMT |
Rally1 entry list for Rally Sweden
|
Team |
Driver |
Co-driver |
|
Hyundai |
Esapekka Lappi |
Janne Ferm |
|
Ott Tanak |
Martin Jarveoja |
|
|
Thierry Neuville |
Martijn Wydaeghe |
|
|
M-Sport |
Gregoire Munster |
Louis Louka |
|
Adrien Fourmaux |
Alexandre Coria |
|
|
Toyota |
Takamoto Katsuta |
Aaron Johnston |
|
Elfyn Evans |
Scott Martin |
|
|
Kalle Rovanpera |
Jonne Halttunen |
|
|
Lorenzo Bertelli |
Simone Scattolin *Private entry |
What is the route for Rally Sweden?
Rally Sweden comprises 18 special stages covering a total competitive distance of 186 miles. A night stage kicks off proceedings on Thursday with 3.21 miles of Umea before heading north-west to Brattby for an early start on Friday.
Friday at Rally Sweden features two identical loops of three stages in the morning and afternoon, as it starts with 6.69 miles of #42 Brattby before heading north to Norrby (7.68 miles) and then Floda (17.55 miles). Drivers will take a break before an extra session on Friday night with 3.21 miles of Umea for stage eight.
It’s another early start on Saturday, which follows a similar format with double runs of Vannas (9.72 miles), Sarsjoliden (8.84 miles) and Bygdsiljum (17.44 miles) before a 6.26-mile dash of Umea on Saturday evening.
Sunday’s finale starts at 7:15am local time where drivers will tackle a double run of Vastervik (15.84 miles) before the weekend closing Power Stage, which is another 6.26 miles of Umea with bonus points on offer to the top five pairings.
