History 2000s

2006 Uddeholm Swedish Rally (Sweden)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 2006 Uddeholm Swedish Rally (Sweden)

Date: February 3–5, 2006

Start Location: Karlstad, Sweden

Finish Location: Karlstad, Sweden

Total Distance: ~1,449.19 km

Competitive Stages: 349.02 km

Surface: Snow and Ice (studded tires)

In only his second rally for the Ford works team, Marcus Grönholm stamped his authority on the WRC’s only full-snow event. The Finn’s mastery of high-speed snow driving and precise car placement allowed him to control the rally from start to finish, while his Ford Focus RS WRC 06 proved both fast and reliable in extreme winter conditions.

Route

Vargåsen: Home of the famous Colin’s Crest jump, where drivers soar spectacular distances over a frozen rise.
Lesjöfors: A mix of sweeping snow-covered corners and tight tree-lined sections, punishing the slightest steering error.
Rämmen: A classic stage through deep snowbanks, where maintaining speed while keeping the nose pointed straight is an art form.

The Swedish Rally’s high-speed snow stages demand maximum commitment and pinpoint accuracy. Notable stages included:

Snowbanks were firm enough to lean on for cornering, but misjudging entry speed could result in getting sucked in and stuck — a fate that caught out several contenders.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Marcus Grönholm & Timo Rautiainen · Ford Focus RS WRC 06
2nd Place
Sébastien Loeb & Daniel Elena · Citroën Xsara WRC – Kronos Racing
3rd Place
Daniel Carlsson & Mattias Andersson · Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 05

Grönholm set the tone early and maintained a lead of over half a minute. Loeb pushed as hard as he dared on unfamiliar snow terrain, while Carlsson thrilled local fans with a podium in a privateer Mitsubishi.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Studded Tire Grip: Finding the limit without overdriving the studs was crucial — excessive wheelspin could shred them early.
  • Snowbank Usage: Knowing when to lean on them for support and when to avoid them entirely was a fine balance.
  • Frozen Surface Variations: Grip changed dramatically depending on sunlight exposure and overnight frost.

This victory cemented Grönholm’s status as the king of snow and gave Ford its first Swedish Rally win since 1999, building momentum for the rest of the 2006 WRC season.

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