It was two days ago Lancia said they don't know where WRC rumours came from...Quote:
Originally Posted by deephouse
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It was two days ago Lancia said they don't know where WRC rumours came from...Quote:
Originally Posted by deephouse
Lancia or Dacia?
According to Tuttorally website(italian), the option of Nikolay Gryazin with Lancia starts to collapse, and the probability that the two WRC2 Ypsilon to be driven by the Rossel brothers looks higher :confused:
According to Dirstfish there could be around 100 pre-orders for the Ypsilon Rally2 :eek: :confused:
They still mention Andrea Mabellini as possible in ERC 2026 with Lancia...
http://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/what-w...rogram-so-far/
With Rally2-Kit being top class, there's one or two maybes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Negaiss
I think he meant Dacia:Quote:
Originally Posted by deephouse
Dacia’s Dakar project marketing manager, François Aupierre, plays down the rumours of joining the World Rally Championship.
“A few months ago there were rumours saying we were coming to the World Rally Championship. I don’t know where those rumours came from. It is not happening, though. I do not believe Dacia will be involved. On the other hand, I am not the one making these decisions,” Aupierre told the Estonian newspaper Postimees.
“I do know why these rumours spread. Our Dakar team includes nine-time rally champion Sébastien Loeb. That would of course be a fine scenario, but Dacia is not coming to the World Rally Championship. There are no such plans, at least not in the near future.”
source:
https://rallyjournal.com/a-harsh-mes...re-not-coming/
So two or three primary asphalt,specialists and a pensioner.Quote:
Originally Posted by deephouse
lets hope they have not made the same mistake as Citroen did with both their R5/Rally2 cars: that was very very good on asphalt and very difficult to set up to be easy to drive on Gravel/snow.
... a lot of marketing, but do we have any validation that the car is actually worth it? Is it a blind belief at the moment?Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
The Lancia Ypsilon has not had any real run until now, so I guess people are just comparing(in their brains)to the Citroën C3 Rally2 ;)
They've surely tested it back-to-back with the C3 and found it's faster.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom206wrc
It's also newer so longevity probably makes better financial sense.
C3 have homologation valid until 2030. Sure they will still get some updates until then. Don't know for how long will Lancia get their homologation cycle, but probably at least until the whole Rally2 concept will last (as someone said that the class is going towards it's end cycle). Of course it's newer, and they promise it's better, and most probably it will get upgrades, the most money out of Stellantis and it's the works car, so it will surely be good.
More here on the sales orders for the new Lancia Rally2...
https://www.italpassion.fr/en/lancia...-a-single-day/
"Market reaction was immediate. By the end of the day, thirty firm orders had been received. Thirty cars, each invoiced at €268,000 before tax, not including the €41,000 option offered to the most demanding teams. In just a few hours, the new Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale had generated over €8 million in orders..."
Which is weird. Why would anyone buy a car that is totally unproven?Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
Good question. The words "HF Integrale" have a powerful emotional pull, but...Quote:
Originally Posted by denkimi
It is not unproven. It is new evolution of Citroen...Quote:
Originally Posted by denkimi
Why someone would buy a new Skoda, a new Toyota or a new M-Sport car before test/first delivers? It could happen a fatal conception failure and the car be a disaster...
People buy by be new, by be a Lancia and have dream or support from local dealers or just cause they want.
No, the car is not an evolution of Citroën. The car is new and have know-how of Citroën.
C3 WRC also had know-how of Citroën :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
They had firstly Meeke and he destroyed many of their cars. Then they had Ogier and he demanded results straight away and left and then they left claiming there is no one to drive it. And they explicitly demanded alternative power units being in WRC and then left. Cowards. If they would be serious they should come back in 2027. And we would get years of battles which manufacturer would have more titles: Lancia, Toyota or Citroen. Through those years many drivers get capable of challenging for titles and winning events and not just Ogier, but I have a feeling Citroen don't like having hard time by having much competition. Just like VW. Left right before Toyota came and Hyundai getting better (and just tell the world it's the diesel gate they can't participate anymore, while spending way more cash everyelse)
Good interview with Jaspar Vaher in a local podcast. Gives a small insight of the Toyota youth program and Lancia rally4 development:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzYh8DjlFeI
Automatically generated subtitles are available.
Quick selective points:Quote:
Originally Posted by trykmann
* Dude is an athlete, doing running, cross-country skiing, wrestling, and basketball
* Was a mechanic for Lauri Joona during Rally Estonia
* Toyota worldwide selection for test, 5 selected guys, invitation at the end of July, test during August. Other competitor names he was not allowed to share.
* Testing 5 days in total, 3 days of driving, 1 day of physical tests
* Driving were done Renault Rally3 and Toyota Rally2 cars, total around 50km
* He knew the decision from the end of August
* Next season is a "training season.", but the contract is just one season.
* Juho Hänninen is his mentor/teacher
* Starts with the Finnish championship with a Rally2 car
* The focus is on testing, training, and small rallies. The "result" is measured by "development speed."
* Has experience in a mechanic role in the Monaretto team and in the Red-Grey team.
* He is in his last year in gymnasium.
* Struggled with Lancia Rally4 on gravel
Really reasonable conversation by an 18-year-old.
Based on this interview, my huge respect for his parents, especially for his father. That is a good example of good parenting.
Rossel and Gryazin to spearhead Lancia’s WRC2 return in 2026
https://img.redbull.com/images/c_cro.../lancia%20720w
https://www.wrc.com/en/news/rossel-a...return-in-2026
Rossel today
Pic of Zagatoi via Planetemarcus
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G796JkwX...jpg&name=large
First novelty: extended side wing supports to prevent external airflow from entering under the wing, pressure is reduced & the wing is more effective...
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G7-g4ctW...g&name=900x900
WRCWings
So no surprise about the drivers, rumours weeks ago already announced them... ;)
Yohan Rossel Testing Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7vB09oJ-3I
lot of work on front and rear aeroQuote:
Originally Posted by FUNKYXXXXX
Andrea Lafarja with Teo Martin’s Toyota GR Yaris Rally2
Kenya
Spain
Greece
Paraguay
Chile
Italy
Saudi Arabia
TEST WRC Monte-Carlo 2026 | Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 | Nikolay Gryazin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMIC5JI_jV8
Monte-Carlo, Bastogne et Suède pour John Wartique début 2026 !
https://www.speedactiontv.be/Getimag...E-26-03LL.jpeg
https://www.speedactiontv.be/Monte_C...-lijVxgg3fQ7Uw
Léo Rossel in Monte-Carlo with Citroën C3 Rally2 from 2C Compétition(he's aiming for the entire WRC2 series) ;)
ROMET JÜRGENSON TO CONTEST OPENING ROUNDS OF FIA WRC2 IN 2026
M-Sport is pleased to confirm that rising Estonian talent Romet Jürgenson will return to the team for the opening rounds of the 2026 FIA WRC2 championship, continuing his progression in the Ford Fiesta Rally2 alongside co-driver Siim Oja.
Following an impressive first season in Rally2 machinery, the Estonian pairing will make their WRC2 season debut on the iconic stages of Rallye Monte-Carlo, before heading to the snow-covered roads of Rally Sweden for round two and their first championship points-scoring appearance. The pair will then also make their debut on Safari Rally Kenya in March.
Jürgenson’s continued rise through the ranks follows his Junior WRC title success in 2024, which earned him promotion to WRC2 competition with M-Sport in 2025 under the FIA Rally Star programme. He quickly integrated into the team, contesting six WRC events during the season while also undertaking a full British Rally Championship campaign, finishing second in the standings. This included the ERC round of Rali Ceredigion, where he delivered a standout performance to finish second overall.
The Estonian further underlined his speed and consistency with an additional European Rally Championship appearance at the Croatia Rally season finale. Running inside the podium positions for much of the event in a close fight with teammate Jon Armstrong, Jürgenson ultimately secured an impressive fourth-place finish.
The opening events of the 2026 season will also mark an important technical milestone for the M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2. Jürgenson will be tasked with debuting a comprehensive new upgrades package in FIA WRC2 competition, following extensive development work with the M-Sport engineering team throughout 2025.
The latest evolution of the Fiesta Rally2 features a range of performance and reliability enhancements, including engine and electrical updates, revised suspension geometry, improved cockpit cooling, a new rear brake cooling kit, and a lightweight components package. Initial production of the upgrade components has been allocated to new car sales, with a limited first batch of upgrade kits subsequently made available to existing Fiesta Rally2 customers for pre-order, ahead of April delivery.
With momentum firmly behind him, the 2026 WRC2 campaign represents the next key step in Jürgenson’s career,
combining top-level international competition with the introduction of the latest Fiesta Rally2 developments on two of the championship’s most iconic events.
Richard Millener, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Principal, said:
“Romet has shown a very mature approach since stepping into Rally2, both in terms of his driving and the way he works with the team. His performances in 2025 confirmed that he belongs at this level, and starting the 2026 WRC2 season on two of the most demanding events on the calendar will be a great next step for him and Siim. It’s especially exciting now that we are launching the Fiesta Rally2 upgrades too. We’re looking forward to seeing how he continues to develop throughout the season.”
Romet Jürgenson said:
"I’m super happy and feel privileged to be starting my second consecutive season with M-Sport in WRC2. We’ll kick off the year at Monte Carlo, one of the most iconic events, where gaining experience is so important. Luckily, we’ll have the Jännerrallye and some testing beforehand, so it will definitely be an exciting start. After that, we continue to Sweden and Kenya, and hopefully we’ll be able to build an extended WRC2 season.
“It’s great to start so early in the season, and with the updates we have on the car, I feel really positive and eager to get going. This is an important season for me to show both my speed and the capabilities of the car. Revisiting the same rallies as last year will be a valuable opportunity to take the next step.
“The FIA Rally Star programme has now come to an end, but being able to start another WRC2 season proves the programme was a success. I want to thank everyone who made it possible; it has truly changed my life. I’ll carry the logo with me throughout my career, and I hope I can make everyone proud. A huge thank you also goes to my personal sponsors, whose support has made this upcoming season possible."
https://static.wixstatic.com/media/8...7c030~mv2.webp
https://www.m-sport.co.uk/single-pos...a-wrc2-in-2026
Pablo Sarrazin in the Citroën C3 for Monte-Carlo ;)
Eric Camilli with Skoda and Orsàk Rally Team in WRC2 ;)
Matteo Chatillon, 8 rounds of WRC2 in a Skoda ;)
(deleted)
Jürgenson is also present on the entry list for 2026 Janner Rally, the first round of Austrian Rally Championship:Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
https://www.ewrc-results.com/entries...imberger-2026/
Toyota boss J-M Latvala has bought the WRC2 Printsport rally team:
https://www.motorsport.com/wrc/news/...quad/10787173/
italians:
promising youngster giovanni trentin will be contesting: sweden, canary, portugal, greece, finland, italy in a skoda by delta rally
also in a skoda by delta rally roberto daprà will also contest at least 6 rounds (rumored monte, croatia, canary, portugal, greece, italy )