Swedish Rally

Although the Audi Quattros were overshadowed by the better handling Opel Ascona 400s on the dry roads of the Monte-Carlo Rally, in February’s Swedish Rally the superior traction of the four-wheel-drive Quattros was more than evident on the ice and snow of a Scandinavian winter.

Three of them, driven by Mikkola, Blomqvist and Mouton, occupied the first three places in that order until Mikkola went off the road on rho final night and was pushed further off when Mouton crashed into him.

Blomqvist’s pace belied his comparative lack of 4-w-d experience and he got up to second place after an electronic fuel metering failure on the last stage dropped him to 113th. When Mikkola was delayed, Blomqvist moved ahead to win, now occupying second world championship position behind Rörhl who was third in Sweden. Vatanen (second in Sweden) shares third championship position with Mikkola (second in Monte-Carlo). G.P.