Two weeks on from Ireland, the World Rally Championship now heads to Norway for one of the most spectacular events on the calendar.

Rally Norway is the only true snow rally of the season - and like the last event it has only counted towards the WRC on one previous occasion.

Based mainly in and around the city of Hamar, the service park is housed inside the 'The Viking Ship' Olympic Hall.

Competitors will tackle around 375km of competitive stages, kicking off with a Super Special Stage in the middle of the capital city of Norway, Oslo, on Thursday evening as part of the Ceremonial Start proceedings.

The event will then move north and east of Hamar, with a remote service in Kongsvinger on Friday, and take in stages around Lillehammer that feature the arenas used at the Winter Olympics as a backdrop.


Special notes:

Conditions are reported to be perfect for a true winter rally in the Kongsvinger and Lillehammer areas where the event's speed tests are based.

The loose-surface tracks that host this second round of the 12-event series are covered with a thick layer of snow and ice and huge snow banks line the roads. With temperatures forecast to dip to -8ºC, there is no reason for that to change.

Despite the harsh environment of the frozen Norwegian countryside though, drivers will find incredible grip in the snow and ice due to the effect of the tungsten-tipped studs protruding from Pirelli's tyres fitted to their cars. The studs bite through the snow into the icy surface beneath to offer grip almost equivalent to driving on gravel, and drivers 'lean' their cars into the snow banks to guide them round corners at maximum speed.

However, the skinny tyres usually seen on the ice-bound roads have been replaced for 2009. This will enable teams to use the standard 15-inch wheel rims that are utilised on all other loose surface rounds of the championship. The tread blocks are spread slightly wider as a result.


FIA World Rally Championship news:

Probably one of the biggest developments since Rally Ireland has been the launch of the 'Petter Solberg World Rally Team', which took place on Friday last week. 'Hollywood' now plans to take in all the events this season, beginning this weekend in Norway, when he will make his debut in a Citroen Xsara WRC.


News from the Manufacturers' teams:

Citroen Total WRT:

[Sebastien Loeb, car #1 and Daniel Sordo, car #2]

Sebastien Loeb: