The second round of the 2020 WRC season sees two new names headlining the entry list for WRC2 class. Pontus Tidemand and fellow Swede Johan Kristoffersson will be starting their season in WRC on the snow and ice.

Tidemand will start in the WRC2 class with a Škoda Fabia provided from the German team Toksport WRT, Patrik Barth will join him as the co-driver at Rally Sweden.

The 29-year-old took the step last year from the R5 class up to the WRC after several successful years together with Škoda Motorsport. It was a year of very useful experience and lessons for the future for Tidemand.

Credit: Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool

“We have been running in the WRC2 class for 4 and a half seasons and felt in 2019 that it was time to take a step up and try out WRC. So we ran four races together with the M-Sport Ford, but it was not easy to get into today’s cars and be able to use them to the max with their advanced aerodynamics. It takes a lot more time behind the wheel of those cars” Tidemand said.

“If you look at the rally sport now it is very exciting going on to 2022, and it is important to stay in the sport and show off. Going back and driving an R5 car gives you the opportunity to drive more and to challenge for wins. That’s why we choose R5 in 2020.” Tidemand continued.

Credit: IMG / FIA World RX

Two-time world champion in FIA World RX Johan Kristoffersson will also begin his season in the 2020 WRC with entering the WRC2 class in a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 from his own team Volkswagen Dealer Team BAUHAUS.

The mild and snow-free winter raises the question mark around the Swedish round in mid-February, but last year’s third in the WRC 2 class expects to start the rally.

“We are optimists and hope that winter will come so that it will be a WRC rally” Kristoffersson commented.