A legend reborn in Palermo: the Trofeo Lancia Cup lights up the Targa Florio Rally

• Last weekend at the legendary Targa Florio, Lancia celebrated its return to racing and kicked off the new Trofeo Lancia cup.
• Gianandrea Pisani, with co-driver Nicola Biagi, claimed victory in the opening stage of the one-brand cup.
• Equipped with a 212-hp turbo engine and fine-tuned by the legend Miki Biasion, the Ypsilon Rally4 HF showcased its superior dynamic behavior, responsiveness in changing directions, and stability at high speeds.
• Straightforward and generous, the powerful race car proved itself to be the ideal solution for emerging drivers who want to make a name for themselves in one of the most technical disciplines in motorsport.
• With exclusive events in Palermo, thousands of visitors at the Lancia Corse HF Village, and tons of engagement on the Lancia Corse HF’s official Facebook, Instagram and TikTok channels, the event was a huge hit both on and off the track.
• The next date of the Trofeo Lancia cup is set for May 30-31 at the thrilling Rally Due Valli, the fourth stage of the Italian Absolute Rally Championship (CIAR SPARCO).

The Sicilian crowd went wild as Lancia made its much-anticipated return to racing on the legendary curves of the Madonie mountains on Friday May 9^th and Saturday May 10^th at the Targa Florio Rally, one of the most exhilarating moments of the 109^th edition of the Targa Florio. The official third stage of the Italian Absolute Rally Championship (CIAR SPARCO)—with a record 79 crews in competition—the Sicilian event was also the first official race of the Trofeo Lancia, the new one-brand cup starring the New Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF in six CIAR races across five dates.

19 crews registered for the cursa (race in the Sicilian dialect) behind the wheel of the powerful Lancia vehicle, with 13 Under-35 drivers vying for a spot on the official Lancia team in the European Rally Championship (ERC) 2026 led by Eugenio Franzetti. The Sicilian race was dominated by the new Ypsilon Rally4 HF, which occupied the entire podium and the first four positions of the CIAR Italian Two-Wheel Drive Italian Championship, taking 10 out of the first 14 positions. In a remarkable result for the official debut of the Trofeo Lancia, Gianandrea Pisani and his co-driver Nicola Biagi claimed victory, etching their names in the history of the first event in Lancia’s new racing era. Pisani-Biagi came out on top in a thrilling finish, edging out Davide Pesavento and Alessandro Michelet by just four seconds after an hour of racing. The fight for third place went to Gabriel Di Pietro and co-driver Andrea Dresti at the end of an intense battle which started in the second special stage (12 total) with Giorgio Cogni and his co-driver Daiana Darderi. Thanks to success in both the Two-Wheel Drive Italian Championship and the Trofeo Lancia cup, Pisani also achieved victory in the Master Category, overcoming Cogni-Darderi and Igor Iani - Paolo Urban. The Junior Category dedicated to Under-25 talents was won by Davide Pesavento, who edged out Gabriel Di Pietro. Meanwhile, in the Expert Category, Denis Vigliaturo and Ermanno Corradin took the checkered flag in style, setting the best time in their category for each special stage and securing seventh overall position in the Trofeo Lancia. The duo overcame second-place finishers Emanuele Fiore and Andrea Casalini, and Filippo Vara, making his 29^th appearance at the Targa Florio, and Maurizio Messina. The Championship standings are now led by Pisani (53 points), who also received bonus points for Best Performer and the Miki Stage, followed by Pesavento (37.5) and Di Pietro (31.5).

The new model showcased both its preparedness and the technical refinement which instantly won over scores of drivers and tuners, as demonstrated by the more than 90 models sold since its launch four months ago. In particular, the high-octane Targa Florio Rally highlighted the dynamic behavior of the Ypsilon Rally4 HF, which set itself apart early on in testing thanks to its perfect balance of power and traction, responsiveness in changing directions, and stability at high speeds. Moreover, the race car wowed the public with its corner entry, its effectiveness when braking in the most technical sections, and its ability to instill trust in the driver even during the Sicilian race’s most challenging conditions.

Its winning formula lies in combining a light yet incredibly rigid chassis, McPherson suspensions with Ohlins 3-way adjustable shock absorbers, and a top-of-the-line braking system with 330-mm ventilated disc brakes. Furthermore, the front-wheel drive was pushed to its full potential thanks to the mechanical limited-slip differential and a refined setup which allowed for late braking and aggressive acceleration, providing the same intense emotions one can find in drifting. It’s worth noting that for the fine-tuning of the Ypsilon Rally4 HF the Italian brand looked to Miki Biasion, a true motorsports legend who, between the 80s and 90s, became inextricably linked to Lancia and went on to become the most successful Italian driver in history.

Under the hood, the 212-hp 1.2 Turbo engine proved itself to be powerful, smooth, and perfectly paired with a SADEV 5-speed gearbox. To cap it all off, it also features high-performance tires from the MICHELIN Pilot Sport range, two for dry asphalt and one for wet asphalt, all of which are available in 19/63-17 dimensions. In short, at the world’s oldest race, the Ypsilon Rally4 HF demonstrated that it is both extremely competitive and reactive. Its front-wheel-drive setup allows both younger drivers to take part in one of the most technical disciplines in motorsport and allows more experienced ones to benefit from a high-performance vehicle which is capable of winning.

The symbolism of the Ypsilon Rally4 Hf is of no less importance, as it features a contemporary reinterpretation of the “LANCIA CORSE HF” name. When racing fans see it, they can’t help but remember the legendary Stratos, 037, and Delta, which dominated rally racing for 20 years, making history and setting win records which have yet to be broken. And let’s not forget to mention the 15 overall victories at the Targa Florio between 1952 and 1992 courtesy of iconic models whose names still send shivers down the spines of racing fans throughout the world.

And Lancia’s activities in Sicily were not limited to the track. In fact, over 250 guests visited the Palermo Stellantis&You showroom, which held an exclusive event on Wednesday May 7th to kick off the Targa Florio and Lancia’s return to rally, featuring a special guest: the two-time rally champion Miki Biasion. The excitement spilled over to the Lancia Corse HF Village at the University of Palermo, where thousands of visitors could enjoy the exclusive hospitality area, admire the 280-hp Ypsilon HF, and book thrilling test drives of the hybrid and electric New Lancia. Meanwhile, fans at the race shared their excitement online, posting hundreds of videos and photos on the Lancia Corse HF Facebook, Instagram and TikTok channels.

In conclusion, with its triumphant debut at the Targa Florio, Lancia has both boldly reaffirmed the racing identity which it forged over decades of success across the globe and opened a new chapter in its more than 100-year history, bringing its defining values of passion, innovation, and performance into the future. And after the iconic rally in the Madonie mountains, the Trofeo Lancia will move on to the following stages: the Rally Due Valli on May 30-31 and the Rally Roma Capitale on July 4-6, which will allow the trofeisti to compete in an FIA ERC international round. After the summer break, the Trofeo Lancia will proceed to the Rally del Lazio (September 13-14) before the grand finale at the historic Rallye Sanremo (October 17-18).

Turin, May 12, 2025

Contacts:
Simona Magnarelli: +39 366 6729414
simona.magnarelli@stellantis.com 
Eugenio Franzetti
eugenio.franzetti@stellantis.com
Massimiliano Palumbo
m.palumbo@lpditalia.it