Makinen aims for Swedish triple

The four-time champion has won the Swedish Rally for the past two seasons and knows that a third win on the only snow rally on the calendar would be a major blow to the title hopes of his opposition.

'We have had an excellent start to the season,' Makinen said, 'and we did some good testing for Sweden. The car has always been very competitive in these conditions and for a Finn it's always good to have a chance to beat the Swedes.'

If Makinen wins the event, it could spell trouble for his title rival Richard Burns. The Englishman has only started this most specialised of rallies twice before, but after retiring from the Monte Carlo he needs a good result to stay in touch with Makinen.

However, one of the most impressive aspects of Burns rise to prominence in recent years has been his ability to go flat-out on specialised events where he lacks experience.