Piero Laitti and the 555 Subaru World Rally Team began the 1997 season with an outstanding victory, decisively winning the Rally of Monte Carlo on the debut outing of the Subaru Im-preza 555 WRC97. The team now have the resolve to'build on their early lead in the Championship with a strong campaign on the second round, the Rally of Sweden (7-10 February), says a press release.

Colin McRae and Kenneth Eriksson will take on driving duties for this specialist event which is the only true snow rally in the calendar. Colin has a particularly convincing record on this rally, which has historically been dominated by Scandinavian drivers — three podium placings since 1992 and, allied with Kenneth's local knowledge and his two wins in recent years, the pairing should Gove to be a formidable force.

st year. Colin finished in third place behind Carlos Sainz and overall winner, Tommi Makinen, while Kenneth finished in fifth on what was his debut rally with the team.

Kenneth's intimate experience of not only the event, but also of the prevailing terrain and weather conditions, has helped the team with the complex process of testing and preparation for the exceptional conditions. The average seasonal temperatures can stand at -3O°C and with stages composed of snow and ice surfaces, cooling. suspension and tyre choices for the new Subaru 1m-preza 555 WRC97 have to be exactly right.

Kenneth s home village of Appelbo is within a stone's throw of the rally route, and his

knowledge in the preparation process is invaluable.

The entire event through the Varmland and Dalarna regions of the country is 1,614 kms long, with 24 special stages cov ering 413 kms. And. new to the route this year is a super special stage in the centre of the host town. Karlstad, along the frozen river.

Karlstad is not the only place to turn the freezing conditions to the best advantage as the traditional use of the frozen lake at Torsby provides another distinctive ice test for the teams. As the rally heads into the Dalarna region for the overnight halt in Borlange, there is a second super special with cars running head to-head in the Lugnet Ski Stadium, making the rally a spectacle for the enthusiastic local population.

The 565 Subaru World Rally Team drivers have a particular passion for this event, enjoying the courage it demands, and Kenneth of course revelling in the support he enjoys from his home crowd. United by a common desire to win both the Drivers' and Manufacturers Championships, the team will be eager to build on their early lead over Ford and Mitsubishi