Rally Pedigree That Still Pays Off
Several automakers, including Audi and Subaru, have built lasting reputations in rally that continue to benefit their production models. Another notable marque is Lancia, which gave rise to icons such as the Delta Integrale and the wedge-shaped Stratos. However, the brand gradually faded from the spotlight after leaving rally competition in 1992, and later withdrew from global markets to focus solely on Italy.
This decade, Lancia is beginning to stage a revival under parent company Stellantis and has even returned to the World Rally Championship. The highlight came recently with a class win at Rally Croatia, where Yohan Rossel took victory in a Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale with co-driver Arnaud Dunand.
The Comeback Gets Real
The duo put Lancia back on the top step of the podium after over three decades and helped Team Lancia Corse HF take the standings lead after four rounds of the 2026 season. The team competed in the opening round at Rally Monte Carlo, skipped the next two events in Sweden and Kenya, and returned to action in Croatia. It is worth noting that the win came in WRC2, the series’ second-tier class behind WRC1, where Toyota, Hyundai, and Ford currently field factory entries.
Teammate Nikolay Gryazin, alongside co-driver Konstantin Aleksandrov, also secured a third-place podium finish in Croatia.
The Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale is based on the Ypsilon road car, a five-door hatchback offered either as a fully electric model or with a 1.2-liter turbocharged inline-three engine. It rides on Stellantis’ CMP platform, which also underpins other models within the group, including the Jeep Avenger, a model not sold in the U.S., where buyers tend to favor larger vehicles.
Revival in Motion
With its return to rallying, there had been speculation that Lancia would enter WRC1, especially with new regulations set to take effect in 2027 that aim to lower costs and encourage more entrants to join the flagship class. However, the Italian marque appears to be focusing on WRC2 for now, with the team stating that it is not developing a car to comply with the new rules.
If Lancia continues to find success in motorsport, Stellantis could leverage that momentum to reinforce the brand’s positioning as a performance-focused luxury marque. The automaker is also expanding beyond the current Ypsilon, with plans to introduce the Gamma, expected to serve as its volume model. It will be followed by the revival of the Delta nameplate, which is expected to launch around 2028 and is rumored to be a performance electric hatch.
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