Lancia’s return to the FIA World Rally Championship may lean on one of rallying’s most decorated histories, but those leading its next chapter are already focused on the work ahead
Testing of the new Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale began late last year ahead of the 2026 season, with Nikolay Gryazin and Yohan Rossel the drivers tasked with shaping the car’s competitive debut in WRC2.
For Gryazin, the first testing kilometres immediately set the tone - not just in terms of performance, but in how the project feels.
“It feels quite interesting,” he said. “Now we’ll start working with the car to make it better and better. I feel confident and also excited for the season. I have some test days now, and honestly, I don’t know how I’m going to sleep until Monte.”
That excitement is underpinned by a connection to the Lancia name that goes beyond branding or history books. While Gryazin is part of a generation that never competed through Lancia’s dominant era, his relationship with the marque is personal and long-standing.
“I’ve watched documentaries about Lancia in the past, so I have some knowledge of the history,” he explained. “My father competed with a Lancia Delta, and I’ve driven a Delta myself at RallyLegend. We also had a Delta Evo road car, so I have a lot of memories with this brand - especially the design, which I loved when I was a child. I think everyone in rallying has a little bit of Lancia in their heart.”
“I’ve watched documentaries about Lancia in the past, so I have some knowledge of the history,” he explained. “My father competed with a Lancia Delta, and I’ve driven a Delta myself at RallyLegend. We also had a Delta Evo road car, so I have a lot of memories with this brand - especially the design, which I loved when I was a child. I think everyone in rallying has a little bit of Lancia in their heart.”