Lancia Corse HF heads to Wales for ERC penultimate round as Mabellini targets title
Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi head to Wales second in the FIA ERC standings as Lancia Corse HF seeks crucial points in the penultimate round.
- 25
- 16
- ~196
- 21.8 km
What Happened
Lancia Corse HF arrives at the JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion in Wales for the sixth and penultimate round of the FIA European Rally Championship with its major championship battles still wide open. The Italian manufacturer is coming off a season of consistent progress across both Rally2 and the junior categories and wants to convert that competitiveness into points. Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi, second in the ERC standings after finishing third at Barum Czech Rally Zlín, will spearhead the challenge in the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale.
- Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi – second in the FIA ERC standings, 25 points behind the leader, in the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale.
- Davide Pesavento and Alessio Angeli – won at Rally di Roma Capitale and were early Junior ERC and ERC4 leaders; now third in both classifications after Barum Czech Rally Zlín.
- Francesco Dei Ceci and Daiana Darderi – aim to contribute points after fifth-place finishes in Poland and Czechia.
- Sebastian Dallapiccola and Samuele Pellegrino – compete in ERC4 and Junior ERC, facing the Welsh stages for the first time.
Rali Ceredigion provides a very different challenge from previous asphalt rounds, mixing narrow technical roads, bumpy sections, fast valley roads and open moorland that demand precision, adaptability and confidence. The 2026 route has been revised with new roads and stages while retaining the features that have made it one of the most spectacular rallies in British rallying. It comprises 16 special stages covering approximately 196 competitive kilometres.
Two runs through the Aberystwyth street stage, followed by night tests Elerch and Blaenmelindwr where narrow and bumpy roads make car set-up particularly important.
Two runs through the Aberffrwd, Soar Y Mynydd and Cwm Elan loop, with Cwm Elan at 21.8 km the longest stage, then another double run through the Aberystwyth street stage.
Lancia Corse HF currently sits third in the Teams' standings, so every result at Rali Ceredigion is crucial to keep its title ambitions alive ahead of the final round in Portugal. The event is also another important test for the parallel development of the Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale in Rally2 and the Ypsilon Rally4 HF used in ERC4 and Junior ERC.
Previously from Lancia
Lancia Corse HF arrives in Wales after a strong showing at the previous FIA ERC round, the Barum Czech Rally Zlín, where Andrea Mabellini and Virginia Lenzi took third place and won the Power Stage. That result kept the Italian squad in the European title fight heading into the season's final European rallies.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Lancia's official releases.
Why this matters
Lancia's factory rally team is still fighting for the FIA ERC title with only one round left after Wales, and it also competes for the Teams' championship and in the Junior ERC and ERC4 series. The rough, mixed-terrain Welsh roads are a serious test for drivers and cars, so the results will shape both the championship standings and Lancia's development programme.
Terms in This Story
- FIA ERC
- European Rally Championship, a continent-wide rally series organized by the FIA.
- Rally2
- A competitive class of rally cars, typically more powerful than entry-level Rally4 cars.
- ERC4
- A junior category within the European Rally Championship for smaller Rally4 cars.
- Special stage
- A timed section of a rally where drivers race against the clock.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.