Mexican driver Ricardo Cordero will become the first driver to compete in a Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale outside of Europe at the Rally Colorado in July 2026. Cordero received the car earlier this week and will conduct his first test near the team base close to San Luis Potosi on Saturday.
The switch from Citroën to Lancia.
Cordero, behind the wheel of a Citroën, has won nine national and regional championships, making him one of the most successful drivers using Stellantis vehicles. Having won Canadian, Mexican, and NACAM championships, Cordero aims to participate in the full season of the ARA (American Rally Association) National Championship.
Cordero told DirtFish: “We’ve been with Citroën for years; the C3 was with us for six years and we only experienced two DNSs during that time. Lancia is a step beyond that. When the opportunity for Ypsilon Rally2 came up, I didn’t hesitate. Lancia has a unique history in rallying; they are still the most successful manufacturer in the history of the sport. We grew up with Group B videos and Lancia is an integral part of that history.” Cordero also emphasized that they were the first team to use this car in the entire Americas, including South America, adding, “I am proud of the trust Lancia has placed in us.”.
Program and Proworx collaboration
Following Colorado, Cordero will take the car to Mexico to complete the remaining races of the NACAM series; after that, he will return to America for the Overmountain Rally and the final round of the ARA, LSPR. From Overmountain onwards, the car will be permanently based in America, and Cordero will participate in the ARA for the entire 2027 season. The driver added, “I’ve done full seasons in Canada and Mexico, but America is the only country where I haven’t done a full season of ARA.”.
In Colorado, the car will be driven by the Canadian team Proworx. Proworx owner Dan Anctil stated that ten-time Canadian champion Antoine L'Estage introduced him to the Cordero at this year's Olympus Rally. Anctil said, “We see Colorado as an extended test; we only have three overtaking opportunities in the shakedown, so we need to be realistic about our expectations. We are bringing in an engineer from Europe.” Proworx previously made a strong start at the Olympus Rally in Washington with Brandon Semenuk; Semenuk, driving a Ford Fiesta Rally2, outperformed Toyota team director and 18-time World Rally Champion Jari-Matti Latvala in the first stage. Although the Fiesta encountered gearbox problems later in the stage, this performance was noteworthy.