This is the list of admitted entries, not yet the official entry list which will follow shortly with more surprises, but it already tells the story of Rallylegend 2026: 150 cars admitted to the race for the 24th edition, selected from the numerous requests received from all over the world. A decision made right after the 2025 edition and already set out in the race regulations published at the time: the organisers decided to reduce the field compared to the 185 cars of last year, for smoother race management and with safety always the top priority. To these are added the cars of the Memorial Bettega and the additional Group B cars that will complete the celebration of their 40th anniversary, for an overall field that reaches around 170-175 cars.
THREE OFFICIAL WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS: FORD, HYUNDAI AND LANCIA
Among the 150 admitted entries, the confirmation of the three official World Rally Championship teams already announced in recent weeks. Dani Sordo will be at the wheel of the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 in gravel specification, alongside Patricia Saiz: for the Spaniard it is a return, having already competed at Rallylegend in 2023. Martiņš Sesks will drive the Ford Puma Rally1 for M-Sport, arriving directly from the Italian round of the World Rally Championship in Sardinia, held the week before the event. Nicolay Gryazin will instead be at the wheel of the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 for Lancia Corse HF. For Sordo and Sesks the programme will be identical: from Thursday to Saturday in the Legend Stars category, non-competitive and designed for entertainment, before taking on the Memorial Bettega on Sunday.
LANCIA CORSE HF: GRYAZIN AND SOMASCHINI WITH THE YPSILON RALLY2
Also confirmed is the presence of the two Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale cars, already announced in recent weeks. At the wheel, Nicolay Gryazin, the Bulgarian driver chosen by Lancia for its official return to the World Rally Championship in the WRC2 category, and Rachele Somaschini, who returns to competition after a 2026 that also saw her take part in the Dakar Classic, driving a 1988 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 435 4×4, the first all-female Italian crew in the history of the competition.
GROUP B TRIBUTE: 25 CARS FOR THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY, 16 IN THE RACE
The Group B Tribute counts 25 cars in total for the 40th anniversary: sixteen are admitted to the race, therefore included in the 150, and range from the Audi Sport Quattro to the Lancia Delta S4, Lancia Rally 037, Peugeot 205 T16 and Opel Manta 400; another nine will be on display. Among the protagonists of this weekend, three monuments of world rallying: Stig Blomqvist, 1984 world champion precisely with the Audi Sport Quattro, Markku Alen and Miki Biasion. Also confirmed is Giorgio Mela, among the most beloved “masters of the endless slide”, still at the wheel of his Audi S1 E2 Pikes Peak.
THE BIG NAMES RETURNING TO RALLYLEGEND
Not only new entries: several protagonists of the 2025 edition have confirmed their presence again this year. Armin Schwarz returns with the Toyota Celica ST 165, as does Gustavo Trelles, back with the Subaru Impreza 555. Among the home-grown champions, “Tony” Fassina with the Opel Ascona 400 and Piero Longhi with the Subaru Impreza. For the most knowledgeable fans, also worth noting the return to competition of Andrea and Luca Betti, among the protagonists of Italian national rallies in the late 1970s and early 1980s with the Lancia Stratos. Finally confirmed are Luca Pedersoli with the Hyundai i20 Coupè WRC, Flaviano Polato with his historic Fiat 126, and Pinto Dos Santos, back with the distinctive Renault 4 GTL. Also returning among the Legend Stars is Alberto Battistolli, 2024 Italian Terra champion, paired with Angelo Pucci Grossi in a Lancia Delta Integrale.
MEMORIAL BETTEGA AND GROUP A TROPHY: 16 CARS IN THE RACE
Completing the picture, the 16 cars starring in the Memorial Bettega, which brings together the Group A Trophy with Piero Liatti, Gustavo Trelles, Andrea Aghini, Andrea Navarra, Franco Cunico, Piero Longhi, Armin Schwarz and Raul Marchisio, joined by four Rally2 cars.
PAOLO VALLI
Rallylegend Event manager
“We are truly delighted to have brought together 25 Group B cars for this 40th anniversary: it’s a record that wasn’t easy to achieve, and one that tells the story of one of the most fascinating eras in rallying history. Seeing names like Stig Blomqvist, Markku Alen and Miki Biasion on the start line fills us with great pride. And this isn’t over yet: there is still room for a few more surprises.”
VITO PIARULLI
Rallylegend Event manager
“What we see in this list is an extremely high level, among the best ever. Right after last year’s edition we decided to reduce the number of entrants for the 2026 edition: a choice that lets us keep safety always the top priority and rely on smoother race management, avoiding annoying delays.”
PRESS OFFICE
Leo Todisco Grande
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E-mail leotodisco@rallylegend.com
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