Wikipedia

1996 British Touring Car Championship

(Redirected from 1996 British Touring Car Championship season)

The 1996 Auto Trader RAC British Touring Car Championship season marked the arrival of Audi to the sport with their four wheel drive A4s. The title was won by Frank Biela, with Swiss driver Alain Menu again finishing in second place and Swede Rickard Rydell in third.

Season review edit

After seeing the success that rivals BMW and Alfa Romeo had achieved in the series, and wanting to expand their successful touring car programme, Audi entered a works team for the season, headed up by Audi Sport UK's Frank Biela. Biela had won multiple touring car championships and the 1995 Touring Car World Cup for the Four Rings. The Audi A4 proved the class of the field from the get go, helped considerably by its four wheel drive system. This led to an argument between the manufacturers throughout the season, and a weight penalty was added to the Audis. It did not help much; Biela dominated the season and won the title with 4 races to run, one of 7 titles won by the Audi A4 Quattro in 1996.[1] Joining Biela at Audi was rookie John Bintcliffe, winner of the 1995 Ford Fiesta championship and the 1994 Renault Clio Cup. The Yorkshireman would finish seventh in the standings.

Williams Renault were seen as the team to beat before the start of the year after a strong finish to 1995, with Alain Menu title favourite. Early season reliability issues meant that the Swiss driver was never really in title contention but a strong second half of the year allowed him to take runners up spot for the third year in a row. Team mate Will Hoy endured a tough season despite starting strongly, finishing 2nd to Biela in the opening two rounds. He would visit the podium just once more on his way to 9th overall and the following season would move to the Ford team.

Volvo, run by Tom Walkinshaw Racing, developed the 850 further, allowing Rickard Rydell to challenge for wins throughout the year and the Swede was Biela's closest challenger for most of the season. His new team-mate Kelvin Burt, switching from Ford, took a single victory at Silverstone in May. During the following round at Oulton Park he was involved in a vicious accident, knocking him unconscious and having to be cut free from the car. He was taken to Chester Hospital suffering from severe concussion.[2] Burt would miss the next round at Snetterton and was due to be replaced by British Formula 3 driver Jamie Davies, however Davies crashed the car heavily in testing, destroying it[3] and also suffering a concussion, but was otherwise unharmed.[3] As a result Volvo entered just one car for Rydell and Burt would return at the following meeting.

Vauxhall retained their title winning driver line up of John Cleland and James Thompson driving the new Vectra. The new car had a difficult development and was not as mechanically suited to racing as the Cavalier was. Thompson took the team's only win of the season, while Cleland would only finish 8th in the driver's championship.

Ford switched from Andy Rouse to West Surrey Racing to run the Mondeo in cooperation with race car engineering specialist Reynard and Schubel Engineering who built the Mondeo for the equivalent Super Tourenwagen Cup in Germany. The season was a complete disaster with the car proving to be off the pace and unreliable. Paul Radisich suffered 13 retirements in 24 races while his new team-mate Steve Robertson scored just two points all season.

Honda continued their promise of 1995 despite a slow start David Leslie took three wins during the second half of the season, including the British Grand Prix support race. He was once again joined by James Kaye, although he was unable to match Leslie’s results.

After a disappointing 1995, BMW factory outfit Team Schnitzer returned to the series with 1993 champion Joachim Winkelhock and multiple touring car title winner Roberto Ravaglia leading the team, with Peter Kox running in a third car in selected races. Winkelhock took several wins during the year but was too inconsistent to challenge his compatriot for the title, whilst Ravaglia only won a single race and was mostly remembered for a string contentious moments with the likes of Radisich and Menu during the season.

Total Team Peugeot entered the new 406 model, but Tim Harvey and Patrick Watts struggled for pace and suffered poor reliability throughout the season.

Having been dropped by Ford, Andy Rouse ran a semi-works Nissan team, running Primeras for Gary Ayles and Owen McAuley, but results were limited. McAuley left the team after the British GP support rounds when it became clear the team were only going to get one new 1996-spec car and that would be driven by his team-mate.[4] The team entered just one car thereafter until the final round at Brands Hatch where Jamie Spence drove the 1995 spec car.

In the Total Cup for Independents 1995 Renault Clio Cup champion Lee Brookes entered a 1995 TOM's built Toyota Carina[5] and would secure the title in his debut season beating Richard Kaye's Mint Motorsport Vauxhall,[6] the last RML built Cavalier. The combination was fastest of the non-works teams and Yorkshire-man won the class 16 times but lost out to Brookes on consistency.

Having lost out in their bid to win the Ford works deal Team Dynamics developed their own Ford Mondeos for Matt Neal and Robb Gravett. Success was limited with Neal finishing a distant 3rd in class. He later described the car as the worst he's ever driven and kissed the ground after the final round as he'd never have to drive the car again.

Ian Heward entered selected rounds in an ageing Vauxhall Cavalier [7] but the car lacked competitiveness and was a long way from the pace of the other independent runners.

Entry List edit

BTCC edit

Team Car No. Drivers Rounds
Manufacturers
  Vauxhall Sport Vauxhall Vectra 1   John Cleland All
7   James Thompson All
  Williams Renault Dealer Racing Renault Laguna 2   Alain Menu All
4   Will Hoy All
  Volvo 850 Racing Volvo 850 20v 3   Rickard Rydell All
8   Kelvin Burt 1–5, 7–13
28   Jamie Davies None
  Total Team Peugeot Peugeot 406 5   Tim Harvey All
10   Patrick Watts All
  Valvoline Team Mondeo with Reynard Ford Mondeo 6   Paul Radisich All
16   Steve Robertson All
  Honda Team MSD Honda Accord 11   David Leslie All
12   James Kaye All
  BMW Team Schnitzer BMW 320i 20   Peter Kox 11–13
21   Roberto Ravaglia All
22   Joachim Winkelhock All
  Audi Sport UK Audi A4 quattro 44   John Bintcliffe All
45   Frank Biela All
Semi-Works
  Rouse Sport Nissan Primera eGT 14   Gary Ayles 1–9, 11–13
15   Owen McAuley 1–8
  Jamie Spence 13
Independents
  TOM's Team Brookes Toyota Carina E 17   Lee Brookes All
  ProMotor Sport Vauxhall Cavalier 18   Ian Heward 2, 10–12
  Mint Motorsport Vauxhall Cavalier 23   Richard Kaye All
  Team Dynamics Ford Mondeo Si 27   Robb Gravett 1–5, 8–9
77   Matt Neal 2–4, 6, 8–13
  • Rouse Sport were neither a works nor an independent entry.
  • Jamie Davies would have stood in for Kelvin Burt at Round 6 (Snetterton) but was sidelined by a testing accident prior to the event.

(https://www.autosport.com/btcc/news/what-could-have-been-a-rising-stars-abruptly-curtailed-tin-top-debut/6644981/)

RAC Tourist Trophy edit

Team Car No. Drivers
Manufacturers
  Williams Renault Dealer Racing Renault Laguna 2   Alain Menu
9   Will Hoy
  BMW Team Schnitzer BMW 320i 5   Joachim Winkelhock
  Audi Sport UK Audi A4 quattro 7   John Bintcliffe
  Vauxhall Sport Vauxhall Vectra 8   John Cleland
28   Jan Brunstedt
  Volvo 850 Racing Volvo 850 20v 11   Kelvin Burt
  Honda Team Linder Honda Accord 14   Marco Werner
24   James Kaye
  Valvoline Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo 15   Warren Hughes
  Total Team Peugeot Peugeot 406 16   Tim Harvey
Independents
  Yap Motorsport Honda Accord 12   Eugene O'Brien
  ProMotor Sport Vauxhall Cavalier 18   Ian Heward
  Mint Motorsport Vauxhall Cavalier 23   Hamish Irvine

Race calendar and results edit

All races were held in the United Kingdom.[8]

Round Circuit Date Pole Position Fastest Lap Winning Driver Winning Team Winning Independent
1 R1 Donington Park (GP), Leicestershire 8 April   Rickard Rydell   Frank Biela   Frank Biela Audi Sport UK   Robb Gravett
R2   Frank Biela   Frank Biela   Frank Biela Audi Sport UK   Richard Kaye
2 R3 Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent 21 April   Alain Menu   Alain Menu
  Rickard Rydell 		  Frank Biela Audi Sport UK   Richard Kaye
R4   Joachim Winkelhock   Joachim Winkelhock   Joachim Winkelhock BMW Team Schnitzer   Richard Kaye
3 R5 Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire 6 May   Frank Biela   Frank Biela   Frank Biela Audi Sport UK   Lee Brookes
R6   Joachim Winkelhock   Joachim Winkelhock   Joachim Winkelhock BMW Team Schnitzer   Lee Brookes
4 R7 Silverstone Circuit (International), Northamptonshire 19 May   Roberto Ravaglia   Kelvin Burt   Kelvin Burt Volvo 850 Racing   Richard Kaye
R8   Frank Biela   Joachim Winkelhock   Frank Biela Audi Sport UK   Richard Kaye
5 R9 Oulton Park (International), Cheshire 27 May   Frank Biela   Joachim Winkelhock   Joachim Winkelhock BMW Team Schnitzer   Richard Kaye
R10   Frank Biela   Rickard Rydell   Rickard Rydell Volvo 850 Racing   Lee Brookes
6 R11 Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk 16 June   Joachim Winkelhock   Joachim Winkelhock   James Thompson Vauxhall Sport   Richard Kaye
R12   Joachim Winkelhock   Rickard Rydell   Joachim Winkelhock BMW Team Schnitzer   Richard Kaye
7 R13 Brands Hatch (GP), Kent 30 June   Alain Menu   Alain Menu   Alain Menu Williams Renault Dealer Racing   Richard Kaye
R14   Alain Menu   Alain Menu   Alain Menu Williams Renault Dealer Racing   Lee Brookes
8 R15 Silverstone Circuit (GP), Northamptonshire 14 July   David Leslie   Frank Biela   Roberto Ravaglia BMW Team Schnitzer   Richard Kaye
R16   David Leslie   Rickard Rydell   David Leslie Honda Team MSD   Richard Kaye
9 R17 Knockhill Racing Circuit, Fife 28 July   Rickard Rydell   Frank Biela   Frank Biela Audi Sport UK   Richard Kaye
R18   Rickard Rydell   John Bintcliffe   Rickard Rydell Volvo 850 Racing   Matt Neal
10 R19 Oulton Park (Fosters), Cheshire 11 August   David Leslie   Frank Biela   Alain Menu Williams Renault Dealer Racing   Richard Kaye
R20   Frank Biela   Frank Biela   Frank Biela Audi Sport UK   Richard Kaye
11 R21 Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire 26 August   Alain Menu   David Leslie   David Leslie Honda Team MSD   Lee Brookes
R22   Joachim Winkelhock   Peter Kox   Rickard Rydell Volvo 850 Racing   Richard Kaye
12 R23 Donington Park (GP), Leicestershire 8 September   Rickard Rydell   Rickard Rydell   Rickard Rydell Volvo 850 Racing   Richard Kaye
R24   Rickard Rydell   Joachim Winkelhock   David Leslie Honda Team MSD   Lee Brookes
13 R25 Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent 22 September   Joachim Winkelhock   Peter Kox   Alain Menu Williams Renault Dealer Racing   Matt Neal
R26   Joachim Winkelhock   Peter Kox   Frank Biela Audi Sport UK   Matt Neal

Championships edit

Drivers Championship edit

Note: bold signifies pole position (1 point awarded all races), italics signifies fastest lap.

Points system
 1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th   9th   10th  Pole Position
15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 1
Pos Driver DON BRH THR SIL OUL SNE BRH SIL KNO OUL THR DON BRH Pts
1   Frank Biela 1 1 1 4 1 3 11 1 2 2 2 DSQ 2 8 3 2 1 2 2 1 2 3 4 3 4 1 289
2   Alain Menu 3 Ret 2 2 Ret DNS 5 4 5 4 Ret 3 1 1 6 5 9 Ret 1 3 Ret 4 3 2 1 4 197
3   Rickard Rydell Ret 3 4 3 3 8 4 5 4 1 Ret 5 3 12 2 4 4 1 5 Ret 3 1 1 Ret 5 Ret 194
4   David Leslie Ret Ret 10 Ret 8 5 3 9 8 7 9 Ret 5 7 4 1 6 7 3 2 1 8 2 1 3 5 159
5   Joachim Winkelhock 8 13 3 1 12 1 Ret Ret 1 Ret 5 1 6 2 5 Ret 5 5 6 4 Ret 6 7 6 DNS 3 158
6   Roberto Ravaglia 7 7 6 6 6 2 2 2 7 5 Ret Ret 9 Ret 1 3 3 3 9 5 4 5 Ret 5 NC 2 157
7   John Bintcliffe 6 4 16 5 2 7 7 3 3 3 6 6 11 13 11 10 2 4 Ret 9 6 11 8 13 9 10 113
8   John Cleland 5 6 7 Ret 4 4 10 Ret Ret 9 3 2 10 4 10 Ret Ret 6 7 7 5 7 6 8 6 Ret 102
9   Will Hoy 2 2 17 DSQ 5 15 8 Ret Ret 6 7 9 4 3 9 6 10 11 4 Ret Ret 19 5 4 8 Ret 95
10   James Thompson 10 Ret Ret 7 7 6 6 6 17 Ret 1 4 7 5 8 7 Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret 2 Ret 9 DNS DNS 83
11   Kelvin Burt 4 5 Ret Ret DSQ 13 1 Ret 6 DNS 8 6 7 8 Ret 10 8 8 Ret 17 9 12 7 7 66
12   James Kaye 9 10 9 11 Ret 9 9 8 13 Ret Ret 7 Ret 14 Ret 11 8 8 10 10 8 9 Ret 10 DNS 8 33
13   Paul Radisich Ret 8 5 8 Ret Ret Ret 7 Ret Ret Ret 8 Ret 11 Ret 9 7 9 Ret 11 Ret Ret 17 11 Ret Ret 27
14   Peter Kox 7 10 12 7 2 6 26
15   Tim Harvey 11 9 Ret 9 Ret Ret 13 Ret Ret 8 4 Ret Ret 9 Ret 13 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 10 14 13 9 20
16   Patrick Watts Ret Ret 8 10 Ret 10 12 Ret 11 11 Ret 12 Ret 15 Ret Ret Ret DNS Ret DNS Ret Ret Ret Ret 10 11 6
17   Richard Kaye 15 14 14 14 DNS NC 14 10 9 Ret 8 11 12 DSQ 12 14 11 15 11 13 DNS 15 13 16 DNS DNS 6
18   Owen McAuley 14 12 13 DNS 9 11 16 Ret 15 10 11 Ret 15 Ret Ret Ret 3
19   Lee Brookes 13 15 15 Ret 10 12 18 11 14 14 12 13 14 17 14 16 13 14 12 15 9 16 15 15 14 14 3
20   Steve Robertson Ret DNS 12 12 Ret Ret Ret 13 10 13 13 10 13 16 Ret 12 12 12 Ret 12 Ret 14 16 17 DNS DNS 2
21   Gary Ayles Ret 11 11 13 DNS DNS 15 12 12 12 10 14 Ret 10 13 15 Ret DNS 11 13 11 Ret DNS 12 2
22   Matt Neal Ret 16 11 Ret 17 Ret Ret DNS Ret 17 14 13 13 14 10 18 14 Ret 12 13 1
23   Jamie Spence 11 Ret 0
24   Robb Gravett 12 Ret Ret 15 13 14 19 Ret 16 15 Ret 18 15 16 0
25   Ian Heward DNS DNS DNS DNS 12 Ret 18 18 0
-   Jamie Davies WD WD 0
Pos Driver DON BRH THR SIL OUL SNE BRH SIL KNO OUL THR DON BRH Pts

Privateers Championship edit

Pos Driver DON BRH THR SIL OUL SNE BRH SIL KNO OUL THR DON BRH Pts
1   Lee Brookes 13 15 15 Ret 10 12 18 11 14 14 12 13 14 17 14 16 13 14 12 15 9 16 15 15 14 14 312
2   Richard Kaye 15 14 14 14 DNS NC 14 10 9 Ret 8 11 12 DSQ 12 14 11 15 11 13 DNS 15 13 16 DNS DNS 272
3   Matt Neal Ret 16 11 Ret 17 Ret Ret DNS Ret 17 14 13 13 14 10 18 14 Ret 12 13 155
4   Robb Gravett 12 Ret Ret 15 13 14 19 Ret 16 15 Ret 18 15 16 103
5   Ian Heward DNS DNS DNS DNS 12 Ret 18 18 28
Pos Driver DON BRH THR SIL OUL SNE BRH SIL KNO OUL THR DON BRH Pts
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Manufacturers Championship edit

Pos Manufacturer DON BRH THR SIL OUL SNE BRH SIL KNO OUL THR DON BRH Pts
1 Audi / Audi Sport UK 1 1 1 4 1 3 7 1 2 2 2 6 2 8 3 2 1 2 2 1 2 3 4 3 4 1 298
2 BMW / BMW Team Schnitzer 7 7 3 1 6 1 2 2 1 5 5 1 6 2 1 3 3 3 6 4 4 5 7 5 2 2 258
3 Volvo / Volvo 850 Racing 4 3 4 3 3 8 1 5 4 1 Ret 5 3 6 2 4 4 1 5 8 3 1 1 12 5 7 244
4 Renault / Williams Renault Dealer Racing 2 2 2 2 5 15 5 4 5 4 7 3 1 1 6 5 9 11 1 3 Ret 4 3 2 1 4 243
5 Honda / Honda Team MSD 9 10 9 11 8 5 3 8 8 7 9 7 5 7 4 1 6 7 3 2 1 8 2 1 3 5 201
6 Vauxhall / Vauxhall Sport 5 6 7 7 4 4 6 6 17 9 1 2 7 4 8 7 Ret 6 7 6 5 2 6 8 6 Ret 172
7 Peugeot / Total Team Peugeot 11 9 8 9 Ret 10 12 Ret 11 8 4 12 Ret 9 Ret 13 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 10 14 10 9 74
8 Ford / Valvoline Team Mondeo Ret 8 5 8 Ret Ret Ret 7 10 13 13 8 12 11 Ret 9 7 9 Ret 11 Ret 14 16 11 Ret Ret 74
Pos Manufacturer DON BRH THR SIL OUL SNE BRH SIL KNO OUL THR DON BRH Pts

Teams Championship edit

Pos Team DON BRH THR SIL OUL SNE BRH SIL KNO OUL THR DON BRH Pts
1 Audi Sport UK 1 1 1 4 1 3 7 1 2 2 2 6 2 8 3 2 1 2 2 1 2 3 4 3 4 1 396
6 4 16 5 2 7 11 3 3 3 6 DSQ 11 13 11 10 2 4 Ret 9 6 11 8 13 9 10
2 BMW Team Schnitzer 7 7 3 1 6 1 2 2 1 5 5 1 6 2 1 3 3 3 6 4 4 5 7 5 2 2 323
8 13 6 6 12 2 Ret Ret 7 Ret Ret Ret 9 Ret 5 Ret 5 5 9 5 7 6 12 6 NC 3
3 Williams Renault Dealer Racing 2 2 2 2 5 15 5 4 5 4 7 3 1 1 6 5 9 11 1 3 Ret 4 3 2 1 4 288
3 Ret 17 DSQ Ret DNS 8 Ret Ret 6 Ret 9 4 3 9 6 10 Ret 4 Ret Ret 19 5 4 8 Ret
4 Volvo 850 Racing 4 3 4 3 3 8 1 5 4 1 Ret 5 3 6 2 4 4 1 5 8 3 1 1 12 5 7 255
Ret 5 Ret Ret DSQ 13 4 Ret 6 DNS 8 12 7 8 Ret 10 8 Ret Ret 17 9 Ret 7 Ret
5 Honda Team MSD 9 10 9 11 8 5 3 8 8 7 9 7 5 7 4 1 6 7 3 2 1 8 2 1 3 5 186
Ret Ret 10 Ret Ret 9 9 9 13 Ret Ret Ret Ret 14 Ret 11 8 8 10 10 8 9 Ret 10 DNS 8
6 Vauxhall Sport 5 6 7 7 4 4 6 6 17 9 1 2 7 4 8 7 Ret 6 7 6 5 2 6 8 6 Ret 185
10 Ret Ret Ret 7 6 10 Ret Ret Ret 3 4 10 5 10 Ret Ret Ret Ret 7 Ret 7 Ret 9 DNS DNS
7 Valvoline Team Mondeo Ret 8 5 8 Ret Ret Ret 7 10 13 13 8 13 11 Ret 9 7 9 Ret 11 Ret 14 16 11 Ret Ret 29
Ret DNS 12 12 Ret Ret Ret 13 Ret Ret Ret 10 Ret 16 Ret 12 12 12 Ret 12 Ret Ret 17 17 DNS DNS
8 Total Team Peugeot 11 9 8 9 Ret 10 12 Ret 11 8 4 12 Ret 9 Ret 13 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 10 14 10 9 26
Ret Ret Ret 10 Ret Ret 13 Ret Ret 11 Ret Ret Ret 15 Ret Ret Ret DNS Ret DNS Ret Ret Ret Ret 13 11
9 Mint Motorsport 15 14 14 14 DNS NC 14 10 9 Ret 8 11 12 DSQ 12 14 11 15 11 13 DNS 15 13 16 DNS DNS 6
10 Rouse Sport 14 11 11 13 9 11 15 12 12 10 10 14 14 10 13 15 Ret DNS 11 13 11 Ret 11 12 5
Ret 12 13 DNS DNS DNS 16 Ret 15 12 11 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret DNS Ret
11 Brookes Motorsport 13 15 15 Ret 10 12 18 11 14 14 12 13 14 17 14 16 13 14 12 15 9 16 15 15 14 14 3
12 Team Dynamics 12 Ret Ret 15 11 14 17 Ret 16 15 Ret DNS Ret 17 14 13 13 14 10 18 14 Ret 12 13 1
Ret 16 13 Ret 19 Ret Ret 18 15 16
13 ProMotor Sport DNS DNS DNS DNS 12 Ret 18 18 0
Pos Team DON BRH THR SIL OUL SNE BRH SIL KNO OUL THR DON BRH Pts

References edit

  1. ^ "Audi A4 Super Touring Era of Dominance". audi-motorsport-blog.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  2. ^ "CPdB, View record [ID:363]". www.the-fastlane.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2017-12-08. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  3. ^ a b "BTCC: Snetterton testing". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  4. ^ "Nissan Primera (16)". Super Touring Register. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  5. ^ "Toyota Carina (T190)". Super Touring Register. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  6. ^ "Vauxhall Cavalier / Opel Vectra A (032)". Super Touring Register. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  7. ^ "Vauxhall Cavalier / Opel Vectra A (014)". Super Touring Register. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  8. ^ M. Baines, Stephen (27 June 1995). "BTCC: TOCA release the 1996 schedule". motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 14 August 2018.

External links edit

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1996_British_Touring_Car_Championship&oldid=1178706562"