ALBA (CUNEO) (ITALPRESS) – The Piedmont Region Rally was the perfect stage over the weekend for Lancia’s big return to the world of rallying. The beating heart of the event was the Lancia Corse HF Village, which welcomed thousands of visitors to the center of Alba, including test drives of the new Ypsilon, a display of the 280-hp Ypsilon HF sports car and a gathering of 25 historic Lancias organized by the Cinzano Rally Team.
Also present were Luca Napolitano, CEO of Lancia, Eugenio Franzetti, director of Lancia Corse HF, and Miki Biasion, testimonial of Lancia’s return to racing and exceptional driver developer of the Ypsilon Rally4 HF. And the absolute star of the weekend was indeed the new Ypsilon Rally4 HF: its ‘race debut’ was record-breaking, with Finland’s Kauppinen immediately winning – among the Rally4s – the show trial that inaugurated the Rally Regione Piemonte and Gianandrea Pisani, paired with Nicola Biagi, able to conquer on debut on the new Ypsilon Rally4 HF the podium in the competitive Italian Absolute Rally Two-Wheel Drive Championship.
The arrival stage in St. Paul’s Square also greeted the arrival of crews Vigliaturo-Corradini, Fiore-Casalini and Kauppinen-Karttunen who, together, with Pisani-Biagi, thus put their signatures on the important page of racing history that chronicles Lancia’s return to racing.
To celebrate these ‘pioneers’ in the history of the Turin-based brand, Lancia Corse HF gave all the crews who finished the Rally Regione Piemonte a special plaque, a testament to a decidedly unforgettable day.
Meanwhile, the Lancia Trophy – the one-make series that will officially start on May 8 at the Rally Targa Florio – is already sold out with 40 entries, including 25 Under 35, 7 foreign drivers and 2 female crews. With a prize pool worth 360,000 euros and the chance for a young winner to join the official Lancia Corse HF team for the Fia Erc 2026, the Lancia Trophy is confirmed as one of the most anticipated and competitive competitions of the season.
“It’s a great thrill to see all this passion again, this affection for a brand that has been missing from competition for so many years,” commented Miki Biasion, two-time World Rally Champion and undisputed motorsport legend whose name has always been linked to Lancia. “We are starting out with humility, from Rally4, but we have presented ourselves in grand style, as is in Lancia’s DNA. We look like a team that has been involved in the world championship for more than 20 years. Our goal is to help young people, discover new talent and give them a career opportunity. Lancia’s return to rallying is important news for everyone.”
-Photo Press Office Stellantis-
(ITALPRESS)
