Supported by local sponsors IntelliSpatial, Fleetcare, Utility Mapping, Leica Geosystems, RIEGL and
Fuchs, the Perth-based team is gearing up for their journey to Umeรฅ, Sweden, taking their place in
the second round of the WRC from February 15-18.
Rullo, an Australian Rally Championship (ARC) contender in the two-car Rullo Motorsport team with
his son Alex, will shift from his Race Torque Engineering team run Hyundai i20 N Rally2 to the Toni
Gardemeister Services (TGS) Worldwide team Fabia Rally2 evo for an extraordinary adventure at the
70th edition of Rally Sweden.
Rally Sweden, dating back to 1950, stands out as the coldest and one of the fastest WRC rounds on
the calendar. It is the only dedicated snow round of the WRC season, which sees competitors tackle
snow and ice-covered forest roads with the use of specially designed studded tires to grip the icy,
snow-covered terrain. Drivers are challenged to master the surface while sliding against snowbanks
to complete the fastest stage times.
After racking up more than a decade of experience competing in tarmac rallies within Australia, 52-
year-old Rullo decided to take on gravel rallying late in 2021 and now, is diving headfirst into a โbucket list’ experience of snow and ice in 2024.
Reflecting on the transition from the familiar asphalt surface to the gravel, Rullo has no regrets.
โWith the limited tarmac events currently in Australia, jumping into a Rally2 car in the ARC was an
amazing opportunity. Gravel rallies bring us right into the thick of it with less room for error. There is
nothing like throwing the car into a corner sideways and it is so bloody satisfying when you nail it.
From what I’ve seen, I can’t wait to pilot one of these Rally2 machines around in the snow. I donโt
know why I didnโt give it a crack earlier!โ
This international rally debut marks Rulloโs first overseas venture, accompanied by experienced local
Perth co-driver, Ben Searcy, who was recently crowned Asia-Pacific Rally Champion.
They anticipate their European debut to be nothing short of exhilarating, with experiences hard to
replicate anywhere else in the world.
โIโm very much looking forward to the opportunity to do a new and challenging WRC rally. Iโve never
seen snow before so will be a huge experience. Partnering with Peter again will be great and weโre
looking forward to a solid finish,โ co-driver Searcy said.
The Perth duo will be one of two all-Australian crews in Sweden with Rullo and Searcy joining Junior
World Rally Championship crew Taylor Gill and Dan Brkic in the winter wonderland.
For event details, visit: https://rallysweden.com/, https://www.wrc.com/
