Lancia will return to the World Rally Championship (WRC) next year with the new Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale.
The Italian manufacturer confirmed the news today. Early last month, footage of a ‘Ypsilon HF Integrale’ rally car appeared on social media, and a week and a half later, the brand confirmed that it was indeed a new Rally2 car.
Today, Lancia officially announced that it will compete in the WRC2 in 2026, the top support category of the WRC with Rally2 machinery. The Ypsilon Rally2 will make its debut at the season opener: the Monte-Carlo Rally.
With the rapid homologation and the car’s Monte-Carlo debut, an expansion into national championships seems likely. This significantly increases the chances of seeing the new Rally2 on rally stages at national championships next year.
Drivers yet to be confirmed, but first hints emerge
The drivers for Lancia have not yet been revealed. Yohan Rossel, currently competing for Citroën (also part of the Stellantis Group) in WRC2 with the C3 Rally2, has been strongly linked to a seat with Lancia.
Earlier this week, Italian media reported that “an Italian driver cannot be missing,” with Andrea Mabellini named as a potential candidate to also drive the Ypsilon Rally2 in WRC2. The 26-year-old Mabellini has been competing in the European Rally Championship (ERC) for several years and finished third in the overall standings this season.
Photo: Lancia
