Lancia returns to the WRC after 32 years with an official program in WRC2 for 2026

Lancia has officially announced its return to the World Rally Championship. The Italian manufacturer confirmed it will compete in WRC2 starting in 2026 with the Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale, ending a 32-year absence and months of speculation. The debut will be at Monte Carlo in January 2026.

"Lancia enters the race. Welcome to WRC2. The countdown has begun. First stop Monte Carlo, January 2026," the brand posted on social media alongside an official announcement video.

The confirmation comes after weeks of speculation that began when videos of the Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale testing on French asphalt were leaked online last month. Lancia released official images days later, but did not confirm competition plans until now.

Photo By Stellantis

Prior Analysis Anticipated the Move

Weeks before the confirmation, analysis of the project was circulating in specialized media. Three possible scenarios were being evaluated: a gradual program with customer teams similar to the Toyota model, selling Rally2 units to the private market, or a return as an official team in 2027. Lancia has now confirmed the WRC2 program for 2026, but did not reveal details about drivers or specify whether it will seek an official program or sell units to private teams.

Lancia has not competed officially in the WRC since 1993. The brand won 10 manufacturers' titles between 1974 and 1992, a record no other manufacturer has matched. The Delta Integrale won six consecutive championships from 1987 to 1992. In total, Lancia has 11 manufacturers' titles and 5 drivers' titles with cars like the Stratos, the 037, and the Delta. No other brand has won more in the history of the world rally championship.

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WRC27 Regulations Allow the Return

The new technical regulations scheduled for 2027 change the championship landscape. The future WRC27 cars will use spaceframe chassis, Rally2 components, and engines of approximately 300 horsepower, all under a cost cap of €345,000 per unit. The current Rally2 cars will compete alongside the WRC27 cars in the same main category of the championship.

The regulations eliminate the current hybrid technology, allowing Lancia to return without having to develop those complex systems from scratch. The WRC2 program in 2026 serves as preparation for a possible entry into the main category in 2027, when Rally2 and WRC27 cars will compete in the same class.

In the 1990s, Lancia withdrew from the WRC due to unsustainable costs. The current regulations include specific cost caps, while Rally2 programs operate with lower budgets than the main category.

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Development Started with the Rally4

The Ypsilon Rally4 debuted in 2024, a front-wheel-drive car that competes in the European Rally Championship and in the Lancia Rally Trophy, a manufacturer's one-make series. This program allowed for the evaluation of suppliers and FIA homologation processes before the Rally2 project.

The Ypsilon is currently the only model in production for Lancia. The HF Integrale name invokes the legacy of the Delta Integrale, the vehicle that dominated the WRC between 1987 and 1992.

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Citroën Redirects Support to Formula E

Lancia is expected to take over the Rally2 program that Stellantis, the brand's owner, currently supports through Citroën with the PH Sport team. The Rossel brothers, Yohan and Leo, compete in WRC2 with the C3 Rally2 cars under that program.

Citroën announced it will redirect its support to Formula E now that Maserati has left the electric category. Stellantis is channeling those resources towards Lancia's rally program.

Lancia did not reveal who will drive the Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale in 2026. The full details of the WRC2 program, including the driver lineup, will be announced at a later date.