Is Lancia preparing to return to the WRC?

Vision and images are circulating online of what appears to be a new Lancia rally car in development.

The Italian car maker, a winner of a record 10 WRC constructors’ titles (1974-1976, 1983, 1987-1992), has returned to competitive rallying this year with tis 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.

In recent days, images and videos have leaked online that appear to show a Ypsilon rally car in testing, built to Rally2 specification.

The Ypsilon’s first steps were apparently taken in France and were immortalised in a short video showing the car returning to the tent after a run on asphalt.

According to our sources, the journey of this Rally2 began many months ago. The car is still in its infancy and it’s impossible to guarantee the date when the new Ypsilon will be homologated and available on the racing market.

Autosport understands that Lancia has been considering its options for future rally programme for some time. At last weekend’s Rally Paraguay, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem confirmed that the marque is among the brands it is talking to about joining the WRC when it welcomes its new technical rules in 2027.

Under the new regulations, WRC27 cars will be built to a cost cap and, delivering approximately 300 horsepower while utilising a space frame chassis and Rally2 componentry. From 2027, current Rally2 machinery will compete alongside WRC27 cars under one umbrella that will forge the top class of the WRC.   

A step up to the Rally2 class could be achieved without starting from scratch given the Stellantis Group, which owns Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Fiat, Lancia, Opel and Peugeot, is currently represented in the WRC at WRC2 level through Citroen with the C3 Rally2.

Speaking to Autosport’s sister title Motorsport.com Italy last year, Lancia’s sporting director Eugenio Franzetti admitted to being an admirer of the Rally2 class.

“The Rally2 is a very interesting car because it’s fast, it lets you win [national] championships, obviously the European championship, which allows you to go very fast also in WRC,” said Eugenio Franzetti.

“Today, with few Rally1s [in WRC], if you have a Rally2 you can also get into the top 10, even get close to the top five and you have crazy visibility. And then it’s a commercial product, it’s a product that you sell and whoever buys it is happy, it [the car] runs well, has an acceptable cost per kilometre and so on. The Rally2 was an extremely clever specification.”

Autosport has contacted Lancia for comment.