History 1990s

1997 International Swedish Rally (Sweden)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1997 International Swedish Rally (Sweden)

Date: February 7–9, 1997

Start Location: Karlstad, Sweden

Finish Location: Karlstad, Sweden

Total Distance: 405.10 km of special stages

Surface: Snow/Ice

The 1997 Swedish Rally delivered classic winter rallying with its deep snowbanks, icy straights, and frozen forest paths. Kenneth Eriksson and Staffan Parmander capitalized on their home advantage and the grip of the Subaru Impreza WRC97 to conquer the snow-covered stages and win in dominant fashion. The event further solidified Subaru’s strong start to the new WRC era.

Route

Vargåsen: Home to the famous Colin's Crest jump, where high-speed bravery was rewarded.
Fredriksberg: Narrow tree-lined stretches with deep snowbanks that drivers used to ‘lean’ their cars around corners.
Rämmen: A fast but technical stage with blind crests and changing ice grip.

The Swedish Rally took place in the rural forests and lakeside roads near Värmland and included iconic snowy stages such as:

With sub-zero temperatures keeping the snow compact and road surfaces icy, studded tires and Scandinavian technique were essential to success.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Kenneth Eriksson & Staffan Parmander · Subaru Impreza WRC97
2nd Place
Carlos Sainz & Luis Moya · Ford Escort WRC
3rd Place
Tommi Mäkinen & Seppo Harjanne · Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III

Eriksson’s smooth, error-free drive on home soil gave Subaru back-to-back victories to open the 1997 season, while rivals struggled with consistency on the slippery terrain.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Studded Tire Strategy: Maintaining grip on frozen roads relied entirely on proper stud wear and setup.
  • Snowbanks: While useful for cornering, misjudging entry could mean getting stuck or damaging the car.
  • Visibility & Reflection: Sunlight on snow created visibility issues and made judging surface grip more difficult.

The 1997 Swedish Rally was a masterclass in snow rallying, with Eriksson proving that calm, controlled aggression in familiar terrain could yield a flawless victory in the heart of Scandinavia.

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