A hard hitting stud.

Studs are undeniably stars of the snow on the Swedish Rally. There are more than 1,500 of these tiny metal components on each car as they launch into the icy stages.

To win, the trick is to ensure they are all still in place when they reach the following stop control. Over the years, Michelin's tyre/stud package has carved out an eloquent track record on the winter classic.

Today, in an exclusive interview, one of the studs competing this weekend has accepted - in all modesty - to talk about its role in the V?rmland.

Q:
Perhaps you could start by introducing yourself...

A:
Of course. I'm basically a metal cylinder machined from specially treated steel. For added resistance, my tip is made from tungsten. By my weight and dimensions, you can see I specialise in the Swedish Rally. My Monte Carlo counterparts are noticeably smaller since they have to comply with French road traffic regulations. As for me, the Swedish authorities allow me to be longer and wider to enable me to bite deep into the region's icebound gravel lanes.

Q:
What exactly is your mission on this rally?

A:
For a start, despite our modest size, it's my fellow studs and I who hold up the car. At a standstill, the tyres don't even touch the ground. There are even some who suggest the tread blocks are only there to provide a home for we studs. It's a nice thought, but the reality is obviously much more complex than that. No, our key mission is to ensure a level of grip that will allow the cars to travel at breathtaking speeds over roads that humans find it hard to stay upright on!

Q:
That's some responsibility...

A:
Absolutely. Just listen to this: on the stages, I hit the ground some 500 times every kilometre. And at 120kph, my tip strikes the ice - which is as hard as concrete at that sort of speed - around 17 times per second! The energy generated on each impact exceeds 1kW. Not bad for my size, aye? And to think I only weigh a few grams! Having said that, I need to be carefully designed and solidly anchored into the tyre to stay the distance over groups of stages that can be up to 51km in length. Just the thought makes me shiver... and not because of the cold!

Q:
It sounds like you have to get along well with your tyre...

A:
Given the huge forces involved, you're not kidding! Even though we will be used only once, my colleagues and I have every intention of fulfilling our mission to the end, right up to the last metre of the final stage we are called to cover. Our predecessors have taken Michelin's partners to no fewer than 20 wins over the last 22 Swedish rallies. That's a record we are all very proud of and we shall all be out to do our best to improve on that score this weekend.

To do that, as I say, we have to be perfectly anchored in the tread blocks that host us. As you probably know, the marriage between metal and rubber is not a natural one. Yet it is the quality of this bond that will dictate the quality of our performance and that bond depends on three things: the design of our base, the method used to insert us into the tyre and the quality of the adhesive employed to glue us in place.

Q:
Sounds like a highly specialised job...

A:
You can say that again. For a number of years now, Michelin has worked with Swedish specialist D?cksproffen when it comes to studding its tyres. I must say they looked after me exceptionally well, but don't count on me to reveal any details of the gluing process. Shhh... Top secret! Sorry, I have to go now. If I understand the language of humans correctly, I believe they're coming to get me to put me on the car. It's been nice chatting, but duty calls. Oh, just one last thing: spare a thought for me when you watch me flash past on the stage. I at least won't be suffering from the cold. You'll be able to see that from all the sparks flying up as I hit the stones embedded in the frozen track!