LANCIA CORSE TARGETS FIA ERC ASSAULT SEASON KICKS OFF AT RALLY ANDALUCÍA WITH MABELLINI–LENZI AND DEI CECI–FAPPANI

• Lancia Corse HF fields Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi in the top category with the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale
• Francesco Dei Ceci and Danilo Fappani to compete in Rally4 with the Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF
• Four additional Lancia entries set to join the European Championship opener in Spain, featuring over 200 km across 13 special stages
• Seven rounds scheduled for the 2026 FIA ERC season
   

Following its maiden WRC2 victory on the Croatian stages, Lancia Corse HF is ready to fire up its engines once again as it prepares for the opening round of the FIA European Rally Championship, taking place from 17–19 April. The 2026 season will span seven rounds from April through to late October.

Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi will spearhead the team’s Rally2 campaign aboard the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale. Third overall in last year’s FIA ERC standings, the Italian duo will aim to improve on that result under the Lancia Corse banner. Mabellini, an ACI Team Italia driver, brings significant ERC experience, entering his seventh season in the championship alongside long-time co-driver Lenzi.

Meanwhile, 21-year-old Francesco Dei Ceci will embark on his second FIA ERC season. Also part of ACI Team Italia and the 2024 Italian Junior Rally Vice Champion, he will be co-driven by the highly experienced Danilo Fappani. The pair will compete in the Rally4 category with the Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF.

The 2026 FIA ERC season will get underway on the asphalt stages of the 43rd Rally Andalucía Sierra Morena, starting at 20:05 on Friday 17 April with the Córdoba Super Special Stage. Saturday features six stages, with two runs over the Obejo–Villanueva de Córdoba (20.9 km), Pozoblanco–Villaharta (26.1 km), and the short but demanding Espiel stage (4.8 km).

Sunday will host a further six stages, including Obejo (8.95 km), the longest test Villaviciosa (27.05 km), and Villanueva del Rey (13.6 km), which will serve as the Power Stage before the rally concludes in El Arenal.

In addition to the two official Lancia Corse HF crews, Tuukka Kauppinen and Sebastian Virtanen will compete in a Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale following a promising ERC 2025 debut season in Rally4 machinery. A total of four Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF cars will also be on the Spanish stages. Alongside the official Dei Ceci–Fappani entry, Tommaso Sandrin–Andrea Dal Maso, Aatu Hakalehto–Niklas Heino, and Paul Evrard–Maxime Roulland will complete the Rally4 line-up.

After the season opener in Spain, the FIA ERC will continue with the Royal Rally of Scandinavia in Sweden (22–24 May), followed by Rally di Roma Capitale (3–5 July) and Rally Poland (24–26 July). The second half of the season features Barum Czech Rally (14–16 August), Rali Ceredigion in the UK (4–6 September), before the finale at Rally Five Cities North of Portugal (23–25 October).

Media contact:

Lancia HQ:
Simona Magnarelli: +39 366 6729414 – simona.magnarelli@stellantis.com 

Team Lancia Corse HF / Stellantis Motorsport:
Mathilde Ponceau: +33 6 58 81 43 01 – mathilde.ponceau@external.stellantis.com

Lancia
With 119 years of history, Lancia embodies timeless Italian elegance — a brand that has inspired people all over the world with its iconic cars, from the refined Flaminia and Aurelia B24 Spider to the outstanding performance of Delta, Stratos and 037, as well as the eclectic Fulvia, Beta HPE and many others.
Today, Lancia is ready to embark on its Renaissance, driven by an ambitious ten-year strategic plan that is progressing at full speed.
Innovation and timeless design have always been the brand’s core values, and sustainability, customer centricity and social responsibility are now equally fundamental, as Lancia looks to the future with strong commitment and ambition.

LinkedIn Lancia Instagram Lancia Facebook Lancia X Lancia YouTube Lancia TikTok Lancia

Turin, 16 April 2026