WRC Central Europe Rally
Lancia announces WRC2 plan for 2026
The Italian car maker confirms its return to the World Rally Championship next year
Tom Howard
Published: Oct 18, 2025, 2:58 PM
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Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale
Lancia has announced plans to return to the World Rally Championship next year competing in the second tier WRC2 class with its new Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale.
The Italian firm announced its plans via a video released on social media accompanied by a brief statement confirming that its newly developed Rally2 car will make its WRC debut in next year’s January season opener in Monte Carlo.
“Lancia enters the race. Welcome to WRC2. The countdown has started. First stop Monte Carlo, January 2026. Are you ready?,” read a post on Lancia’s social media channels.
Lancia’s Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale broke cover last month when videos of the car conducting a development test on asphalt in France were leaked online. In the days after the videos appeared, Lancia released official images of the car along with another brief statement.
“The New Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale makes its debut, bringing the legendary spirit of Lancia’s rally victories into today’s motorsport and this is just the beginning," read the statement from Lancia.
The full details of Lancia’s WRC2 programme, including its driver line up for 2026 are yet to be announced.
However, it is expected Lancia will take over the Stellantis Group’s factory supported Rally2 programme currently backed by Citroen, which supports the PH Sport operation in fielding C3 Rally2 cars for brothers Yohan and Leo Rossel in WRC2. It has been announced that from next year, Citroen will shuffle its support to Formula E now that Maserati has exited the electric racing scene.
Confirmation of a WRC2 programme for next year is the latest step in Lancia’s return to competitive rallying, which began last year. The winner of a record 10 WRC constructors’ titles (1974-1976, 1983, 1987-1992) developed an all-new, two-wheel drive Ypsilon Rally4 car, which has been competing in the European Rally Championship alongside a new one-make Lancia Rally Trophy.
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The next step could see Lancia make a return to the WRC’s main class in 2027. Under the new technical regulations, WRC27 cars will be built to a €345,000 cost cap delivering approximately 300 horsepower while utilising a space frame chassis and Rally2 engines and componentry.
Current Rally2 machinery will compete alongside WRC27 cars under one umbrella that will form the WRC's top class in 2027.
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