The Swedish rally has moved from Värmland to Västerbotten. Umeå will make its debut as the new World Cup host when the competitions start on Thursday. Here is SVT's guide with broadcast times, conditions and expert Jonas Kruse's expectations for the weekend.

When:

February 24-27.

Where:

Umeå.

Prerequisites and history:

- Umeå and Västerbotten make their debut as hosts of the Swedish rally, after taking over the hosting from Värmland.

- At the last minute, the rally was given permission to run the competition by the county administrative board and landowners in Västerbotten.

- It is the first time since 1967 that the rally will be run outside Värmland and the surrounding area.

- The rally was not held in 2021 due to covid-19.

- The latest winner in the rally is the British Elfyn Evans who won in 2020.

- The latest Swedish winner in the Swedish rally is Kenneth Eriksson in 1997, then in a Subaru.

All WRC drivers:

Oliver Solberg - Hyundai (Sweden)

Ott Tänak - Hyundai (Estonia)

Thierry Neuville - Hyundai (Belgium)

Kalle Rovanperä - Toyota (Finland)

Esapekka Lappi - Toyota (Finland)

Takamoto Katsuta - Toyota (Japan)

Elfyn Evans - Toyota (UK)

Craig Breen - M-sport Ford (Ireland)

Gus Greensmith - M-sport Ford (UK)

Adrien Fourmaux - M-sport Ford (France)

Lorenzo Bertelli - M-sport Ford (Italy)

In total, crews and drivers from over 20 countries compete in the rally's different classes.

This is how SVT broadcasts:

February 24:

SVT Play, 12.00-13.00: Before the Swedish rally

February 25:

SVT Play, 12.30-13.00: Studio Swedish rally

SVT Play, 18.00-20.00: Swedish rally special stage 7

SVT2, 23.35-01.35: Swedish rally special stage 7 (after-broadcast)

February 26:

SVT1 12.00-13.00: Swedish rally special stage 11

SVT Play 12.00-13.30: Swedish rally special stage 11

SVT2, 18.30-19.30: Swedish rally special stage 15

SVT Play, 18.30-20.00: Swedish rally special stage 15

February 27:

SVT1 / Play, 08.00-09.00: Swedish rally, special stage 17

SVT1, 12.00-13.30: Swedish rally, special stage 19

SVT Play, 12.00-14.15: Swedish rally, special stage 19

SVT's team during the Swedish rally:

Host:

Maria Wallberg.

Commentator:

Johan Ejeborg.

Expert:

Jonas Kruse.

Reporter:

Johan Hedlund.

Three questions for the expert:

Your expectations and thoughts about Umeå as the new World Cup host?

- The format holds the highest WC class.

They start in the center, just like the old days in Värmland when they started on the square in Karlstad.

Everyone is close, so there is an audience party already there.

The distances are incredibly good, and very fast.

There will be party conditions with the snow supply available.

And I think the audience will come.

The real rally enthusiast is coming, even though it is not in Värmland.

You may lose some from southern Sweden, but there may be some more from Finland instead.

And then we know that many people ride snowmobiles in the area.

I think many people take the scooter to the forest to watch the rally, says SVT expert Jonas Kruse.

Oliver Solberg's chances in the rally?

- I think a lot depends on the car.

Hyundai had car problems in Monte Carlo, with speed and durability.

The question is how far they have come in their tests since then.

If he has the car that is fast enough, then there is the speed, to perhaps reach a podium.

But he needs to get off to a good start so he can drive with confidence.

He has the capacity, and now he drives on his favorite surface.

Who wins when the giants Loeb and Ogier are not with?

- It feels like Toyota is becoming life-threatening.

Their car is good now, and it's doing well on fast roads.

Toyota is always fast in the Swedish rally, and also has the latest winner in Evans.

I think it will be a Toyota driver who wins.

If Hyundai has had time to catch up with their car, Ott Tänak can challenge.

He won the Arctic rally last season.

But there are question marks for the car, if it is fast enough.

CLIP: The rally official's most important gadgets at the Swedish rally in Umeå (February 18)

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