Lancia’s New Rally2 HF Integrale Makes Italian Debut with Andrea Crugnola

Lancia has marked an exciting moment in its motorsport resurgence by debuting the new Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale in Italy with four-time Italian rally champion Andrea Crugnola behind the wheel. The event took place at the Rally dei Laghi, a respected national competition, where the Italian driver officially began his partnership with the brand for the 2026 rally season.

Crugnola’s role extends beyond competition. He was intimately involved in the car’s development, working closely with engineers from Lancia Corse HF and Stellantis Motorsport throughout 2025 to help refine balance, handling and setup for the Rally2 and WRC2 project. His firsthand experience on different surfaces provided valuable feedback that helped accelerate the car’s technical progress and readiness for competition.

The Rally dei Laghi served not just as a competitive debut, but as a continuation of months of preparation. The event, now in its 34th edition, featured more than 80 crews, and the testing ground of special stages around Luino and Varese offered a challenging platform for further evolution of the Rally2 HF Integrale under real rally conditions.

For Crugnola, the Italian debut had extra significance. As a native of Varese and a multiple winner at this rally, he brought deep local knowledge to the stage, pairing intimate familiarity with competitive ambition. Alongside co-driver Andrea Sassi, he tackled familiar roads with the aim of blending performance with consistency as part of Lancia’s broader rally program.

The partnership between Lancia and Crugnola reinforces the brand’s commitment to nurturing Italian talent and building a structured sporting approach that links grassroots competition with international motorsport aspirations. With its return to rallying, Lancia is aiming to blend its rich heritage with contemporary engineering and competitive ambition, setting sights on a future that reaches well beyond national events to international rally stages.