What: 1996 Campionato Italiano Superturismo
Series: Campionato Italiano Superturismo
Model Family: A4
Model / Generation Code(s): type 8D, R7
Chassis / Matrix: B5
Racecar Generation: R7
Class: FIA Class 2 / Super Touring
Rounds: 10 meetings / 20 races
Season: 1996
Circuits: Mugello, Magione, Monza, Binetto, Misano, Imola, Pergusa, Varano, Vallelunga
Countries: Italy
Manufacturer Champion: BMW
Driver Champion: Rinaldo “Dindo” Capello
Winning Team: Audi Sport Italia
Winning Car: A4 quattro Super Touring #1
Primary Winning Chassis: ST18
Additional Winning Chassis: ST23 (Varano)
OVERVIEW
The 1996 Campionato Italiano Superturismo was the tenth edition of Italy’s national Super Touring championship. Its ten meetings comprised 20 races, beginning at Mugello on April 14 and concluding at Vallelunga on October 6. Pergusa hosted two meetings, bringing the calendar to nine circuits.
Rinaldo “Dindo” Capello won the drivers’ championship in an Audi A4 quattro, recording seven victories and finishing with 250 counted points. BMW’s Johnny Cecotto finished second with 244, ahead of teammate Emanuele Naspetti on 242. Audi teammate Yvan Muller placed fourth with 187 points, while BMW won the manufacturers’ trophy ahead of Audi and Alfa Romeo.
AUDI’S FACTORY EFFORT
Audi Sport Italia’s regular lineup paired Capello in number 1 with Muller in number 2. Their primary chassis were ST18 and ST19 respectively, although the Super Touring Register documents Capello using ST23 at Varano and Muller using ST20 at Monza. The championship therefore should not be attributed exclusively to one chassis.
Audi’s lineup expanded late in the season. Frank Biela entered number 8 at Varano, while Emanuele Pirro and Philipp Peter joined the Vallelunga finale in numbers 11 and 9. Wikipedia identifies the latter pair as AZK/ROC entries; the Super Touring Register groups them under Audi Sport Italia.
SIX CONSECUTIVE WINS
After Fabrizio Giovanardi won both Mugello races for Alfa Romeo, Capello swept Magione, Monza and Binetto. Those six consecutive victories established Audi’s early championship challenge.
Audi’s minimum weight increased by 30 kg to 1,070 kg at Binetto. BMW subsequently won 11 of the remaining 12 races, with Capello’s opening-race victory at Imola interrupting that run. Audi returned to 1,040 kg for Vallelunga, where Capello’s second- and third-place finishes secured the title.
AUDI TEAMS & DRIVERS
| Team / Entrant | Car | No. | Driver | Participation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audi Sport Italia | A4 quattro | 1 | 🇮🇹 Rinaldo Capello | Full season |
| Audi Sport Italia | A4 quattro | 2 | 🇫🇷 Yvan Muller | Full season |
| Audi Sport Italia | A4 quattro | 8 | 🇩🇪 Frank Biela | Varano |
| AZK / ROC | A4 quattro | 9 | 🇦🇹 Philipp Peter | Vallelunga |
| AZK / ROC | A4 quattro | 11 | 🇮🇹 Emanuele Pirro | Vallelunga |
RACE CALENDAR & AUDI RESULTS
Results below cover Audi’s two full-season drivers. Each result pair lists Race 1 followed by Race 2.
| Date | Event | Circuit | Capello #1 | Muller #2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 14, 1996 | 1 | Mugello | 5th / 4th | 4th / 5th |
| April 21, 1996 | 2 | Magione | 1st / 1st | 2nd / 2nd |
| May 12, 1996 | 3 | Monza | 1st / 1st | 2nd / 2nd |
| May 26, 1996 | 4 | Binetto | 1st / 1st | 2nd / 3rd |
| July 7, 1996 | 5 | Misano | 3rd / 4th | 4th / 3rd |
| July 21, 1996 | 6 | Imola | 1st / 2nd | 4th / 3rd |
| August 4, 1996 | 7 | Pergusa | DSQ / 3rd | 3rd / 4th |
| September 1, 1996 | 8 | Pergusa | 4th / 4th | 5th / Ret |
| September 15, 1996 | 9 | Varano | 3rd / 3rd | 14th / 4th |
| October 6, 1996 | 10 | Vallelunga | 2nd / 3rd | 4th / 6th |
ADDITIONAL AUDI ENTRIES
| Date | Circuit | Driver | No. | Race 1 | Race 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 15, 1996 | Varano | Frank Biela | 8 | 4th | 13th |
| October 6, 1996 | Vallelunga | Emanuele Pirro | 11 | 5th | 4th |
| October 6, 1996 | Vallelunga | Philipp Peter | 9 | 23rd, retired | Ret |
DRIVER STANDINGS (TOP 10)
| Pos. | Driver | Nationality | Marque | Counted Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rinaldo Capello | 🇮🇹 ITA | Audi | 250 |
| 2 | Johnny Cecotto | 🇻🇪 VEN | BMW | 244 |
| 3 | Emanuele Naspetti | 🇮🇹 ITA | BMW | 242 |
| 4 | Yvan Muller | 🇫🇷 FRA | Audi | 187 |
| 5 | Fabrizio Giovanardi | 🇮🇹 ITA | Alfa Romeo | 175 |
| 6 | Roberto Colciago | 🇮🇹 ITA | Alfa Romeo | 64 |
| 7 | Gordon de Adamich | 🇮🇹 ITA | Alfa Romeo | 61 |
| 8 | Gianni Morbidelli | 🇮🇹 ITA | BMW | 50 |
| 9 | Massimo Pigoli | 🇮🇹 ITA | Alfa Romeo | 36 |
| 10 | Moreno Soli | 🇮🇹 ITA | Alfa Romeo | 28 |
Other Audi entries: Emanuele Pirro finished 15th with 18 points; Frank Biela finished 20th with 10 points. Philipp Peter scored no points.
MANUFACTURER STANDINGS
| Pos. | Manufacturer | Pts. |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BMW | 551 |
| 2 | Audi | 497 |
| 3 | Alfa Romeo | 312 |
PHOTO GALLERY
SOURCES AND NOTES
- Season information: 1996 Italian Superturismo Championship — Wikipedia, including the calendar, Audi entries, race results and final standings.
- Entry and calendar cross-check: 1996 Campionato Italiano Superturismo — Super Touring Register.
- Capello’s primary chassis: Audi A4 ST18 — Super Touring Register, which identifies ST23 as his substitute chassis at Varano.
- Championship scoring: Drivers counted their best eight results from the first ten races and their best eight from the final ten. Capello’s gross total was 278 points; his championship total was 250.
- Result discrepancy: Wikipedia’s final standings and Vallelunga race report give Capello third in the final race. The ST18 register lists sixth. This entry follows Wikipedia’s third-place result.
- Team names: Wikipedia lists Peter and Pirro under AZK/ROC; the register lists them under Audi Sport Italia. The lineup table follows Wikipedia.
- Team standings: The reference provides a manufacturers’ trophy rather than a separate teams’ championship table. Audi Sport Italia is identified above as the team of the winning driver.