The 47th International Swedish Rally was held between 6-8 February 1998.

Report

WRC: Round 2

It was the first World Rally Championship victory of the season for defending champion

Tommi Mäkinen Tommi Antero Mäkinen (; born 26 June 1964) is a Finnish racing executive and former rally driver. Mäkinen is one of the most successful World Rally drivers of all time, ranking fifth in rally wins (24) and third in championships (4), tied wit ...

. He beat the Toyota Corolla of Carlos Sainz and the Ford Escort WRC of

Juha Kankkunen Juha Matti Pellervo Kankkunen (; born 2 April 1959) is a Finnish former rally driver. His factory team career in the World Rally Championship lasted from 1983 to 2002. He won 23 world rallies and four drivers' world championship titles, which we ...

, ensuring that current and former World Rally Champions swept the podium. The home driver Thomas Rådström led for most of the event, but crashed on stage 12, allowing Mäkinen to snatch victory. The Scotsman

Colin McRae Colin Steele McRae, (5 August 1968 – 15 September 2007), was a British rally driver. He was the 1991 and 1992 British Rally Champion, and in 1995 became the first British driver to win the World Rally Championship Drivers' title. At 27, ...

also went out on stage 12, when electrical gremlins struck his Subaru Impreza WRC.

PWRC: Round 2

The

PWRC The FIA Production car World Rally Championship, or PWRC, was a companion rally series to the World Rally Championship, contested mainly by Group N rally cars. History The series started in 1987 as ''FIA Cup for Production Rally Drivers'' and o ...

was also won by Stig-Olov Walfridson. He and fellow Swede Kenneth Bäcklund were the main contenders for overall victory; whilst the Uruguayan defending champion

Gustavo Trelles Gustavo Trelles (born 15 November 1955 in Minas, Uruguay, Minas) is a Uruguayan former rallying, rally driver. He competed actively in the World Rally Championship from 1988 World Rally Championship season, 1988 to 1993 World Rally Championship ...

came to grief once again, after being struck by a terminal engine failure on Special Stage 2 which meant he had retired from the second rally in a row. Finishing in third place was Juha Kangas.

Results

References

{{Rally Sweden Swedish Rally 1998 World Rally Championship season 1998 in Swedish motorsport 20th century in Värmland County