{"id":165350,"date":"2025-11-19T14:54:05","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T14:54:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/all-car-news.com\/lancia-back-in-the-wrc-in-2026\/"},"modified":"2025-11-19T14:54:05","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T14:54:05","slug":"lancia-back-in-the-wrc-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/all-car-news.com\/en\/lancia-back-in-the-wrc-in-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Lancia back in the WRC in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
Lancia has a rich rallying history. Particularly in the WRC, in which the brand was among the top from the 1970s to the early 1990s. That era just had to be revived, they thought at Lancia. Next year, the Italian brand will make its return to the WRC. They will do so in the WRC2 category, the second highest class within the WRC. Now the car with which they will enter the fray has been officially unveiled: the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale. <\/p>\n
Roberta Zerbi, CEO of Lancia, said, “Lancia’s return to the WRC comes from a combination of modesty, dedication and Italian pride. We are well aware of our legendary heritage, but we do not let it intimidate us. On the contrary, it inspires us to give the maximum. Lancia is back in motorsport and it is back with unmistakable style and boldness.”<\/p>\n
Two-time world champion Miki Biasion, who is involved in the project as technical advisor, emphasizes the emotional and symbolic value of the comeback: “Seeing Lancia back in rallying feels like coming full circle. I’ve seen these cars come into being, helped with testing and now work with the program’s young drivers. It’s great to know that when someone dreams of rallying, that dream is once again about Lancia.”<\/p>\n
Intensive cooperation<\/strong><\/h2>\n
With the new Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale, the brand aims to return to the top immediately. The car has been developed within the technical ecosystem of Stellantis Motorsport – which also includes the test center in Balocco, Italy – where engineers previously responsible for Peugeot and Citro\u00ebn WRC cars are now working together on Lancia’s comeback. In short, all the accumulated motorsport experience within Stellantis has been brought together to arrive at the best possible rally car. <\/p>\n
The development of the Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale focused on seven key areas. On the one hand, obvious issues such as weight reduction, a lower center of gravity and improved aerodynamics. In addition, they worked on a new turbo system with anti-lag, modified transmission and differentials, optimized suspension for asphalt and gravel, and a completely new roll cage design that meets the latest FIA requirements. At the technical level, even influences from the Peugeot 9X8 Le Mans car can be seen, for example in the turbo management system. <\/p>\n
We list some of the main specifications of the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale. Basically, the bodywork is the same as the street version, but with modifications such as a welded roll cage, reinforced fuel tank (80 liters) and wider fenders. Powering the car is a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 211 kW (287 hp) and 425 Nm of torque. Via a five-speed manual sequential transmission, this is transmitted to all four wheels. The car’s kerb weight is 1,230 kg, or 1,390 kg including driver and navigator. <\/p>\n
Lancia in the new WRC season<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The drivers for the upcoming WRC season are not yet known. Lancia has already announced that it will opt for experienced drivers instead of new talent, in order to increase its chances of winning. We will see the Lancia factory team in action for the first time when the new WRC season starts, on January 22nd, with the Rallye Monte Carlo. The first cars for customer teams are expected (also) in the first quarter of 2026. <\/p>\n
In addition to the WRC, Lancia will also be active with factory teams in the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) in 2026 and some national championships in Belgium, France, Spain and, of course, Italy.<\/p>\n
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