/Eras/Audi Sport Competition Cars R Era /Audi R7 (1993-1998)
MODEL DETAILS
What: Audi A4 quattro Super Touring
Model Family: A4
Model / Generation Code(s): type 8D, R7
Chassis / Matrix: B5
Chassis Number: ST23
Class: FIA Class 2 / Super Touring
Era: Audi Sport Competition Cars R Era
Built By: Audi Sport
Year Built: 1996
Competition History: Campionato Italiano Superturismo
Championships: Contributed to Dindo Capello’s 1996 Italian Superturismo title
OVERVIEW
Audi A4 quattro Super Touring chassis ST23 served as a spare for Audi Sport Italia’s 1996 Italian Superturismo campaign. Its documented race appearance came at Varano on September 15, when Rinaldo “Dindo” Capello drove it in place of his regular chassis, ST18.
Entered as number 1, ST23 finished third in both races. Those results contributed to Capello’s championship-winning season, making the spare car part of Audi’s Italian title campaign.
VARANO: TWO PODIUM FINISHES
Varano hosted the penultimate meeting of the 1996 championship. Capello finished behind BMW teammates Johnny Cecotto and Emanuele Naspetti in both races, with Cecotto winning the first and Naspetti the second.
Capello subsequently returned to ST18 for the Vallelunga finale, where second- and third-place finishes secured the drivers’ championship. His final counted total was 250 points, ahead of Cecotto on 244 and Naspetti on 242.
ITALIAN SUPERTURISMO RACE RESULTS
| Date | Circuit | Race 1 | Race 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 15, 1996 | Varano | 3rd | 3rd |
Results: Rinaldo Capello, number 1 Audi Sport Italia Audi A4 quattro.
DOCUMENTED ENTRIES
| Year | Series / Event | Team | Driver | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Italian Superturismo — Varano | Audi Sport Italia | Rinaldo Capello | 1 |
Chassis attribution follows the Super Touring Register.
LATER HISTORY
The cited register lists no subsequent competition entries, ownership history or present location for ST23. Its current-status field is blank, and no explanation is provided for the Varano chassis substitution.
PHOTO GALLERY
SOURCES AND NOTES
- Chassis history and results: Audi A4 ST23 — Super Touring Register.
- Regular chassis: Audi A4 ST18 — Super Touring Register, which also records Capello’s use of ST23 at Varano.
- Season context: 1996 Italian Superturismo Championship — Wikipedia.
- Championship attribution: ST23 contributed two podium finishes to Capello’s title campaign; ST18 was his primary chassis.
- Coverage: Varano is the only race meeting documented on the cited ST23 page. That does not establish that the chassis was never used elsewhere.