WRC
Lancia offers hint at future rally return
Lancia has offered a first hint that it is contemplating a return to rallying in the future following the re-launch of its HF brand.
Tom Howard
Published: Mar 20, 2024, 3:03 PM
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The famous Italian manufacturer has been linked with a return to the World Rally Championship following reports in Italian media last year. The marque is the most successful in WRC history winning 10 constructor titles (1974-1976, 1983, 1987-1992).
Lancia is undergoing a revival as an automotive brand under the Stellantis Group and in February it launched its new all-electric Ypsilon hatchback. The marque has now re-launched its HF (high fidelity) brand that featured on title-winning cars; the Fulvia, Stratos and Delta of the past that ran under the HF Lancia Racing Team, founded by Cesare Fiorio in 1963.
The new re-imagined HF logo will appear on Lancia's high-performance road cars, beginning with a special HF edition of the Ypsilon planned for 2025.
Speaking at the launch of the HF brand, Lancia’s brand CEO Luca Napolitano suggested the manufacturer is looking into a return to rallying, although its full intentions remain unclear at this stage.
“At the occasion of the debut of the movie Race for Glory [a film about Lancia‘s fight with Audi for the 1983 WRC title] in the major Italian theatres, I am delighted to unveil the new HF logo, which will make its debut on the New Lancia Ypsilon HF, before being used on the future high-performance versions of the brand.
“After the presentation of the New Lancia Ypsilon, the first car of the brand new era, today we take another step ahead in the path to Renaissance, to emphasise the brand’s most brutal and radical soul and its commitment to focusing on performance models.”
Lancia HF logo
Photo by: Lancia
He added: 'Will we return to the Rally? We are working on it.'"
Motorsport.com understands that should Lancia commit to a rally return its most likely option would be in Rally4, with Italian sources suggesting an immediate return via a Rally2 programme as unlikely.
The Stellantis concern already has two representatives in Rally4: the Peugeot 208 Rally4 and the Opel Corsa Rally4. Both cars are based on the same platform, using the most important common elements (engine, gearbox, suspension concept).
Napolitano’s comments arrive following the FIA’s announcement of widespread reforms for top-level rallying, which includes changes to technical and sporting regulations alongside reforms in the promotion of the championship.
The FIA intends to remove hybrid power from the Rally1 cars and further reduce the performance of the cars through changes to the aerodynamics and the air restrictor to bring them closer to the Rally2 class. The exact details of the proposed aero changes are yet to be confirmed by the FIA.
The world motorsport governing body then wishes to introduce new Rally1 regulations for 2026 based on the current Rally1 car concept. The cars are expected to incorporate a larger spaceframe chassis, produce 330 horsepower and will be capped at €400,000.
It also announced plans to introduce an electric category “at the earliest opportunity”.
Bernard Darniche, lain Mahé, Lancia Stratos HF
Photo by: Motorsport Images
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