/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: ST18
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, BTCC
Championships: 1996 Italian Superturismo — Dindo Capello, primarily using ST18
OVERVIEW
Audi A4 quattro Super Touring chassis ST18 was Rinaldo “Dindo” Capello’s primary car during his championship-winning 1996 Italian Superturismo campaign. Built by Audi Sport in 1996, it competed as number 1 for Audi Sport Italia. The Super Touring Register subsequently identifies it with Frank Biela’s number 1 Audi Sport UK entry in the 1997 British Touring Car Championship.
Capello used ST18 for nine of the Italian season’s ten meetings, switching to spare chassis ST23 at Varano. All seven of his championship-season victories appear in ST18’s documented results.
1996 ITALIAN SUPERTURISMO CHAMPIONSHIP
Capello partnered Yvan Muller in Audi Sport Italia’s two-car lineup. After finishing fifth and fourth at Mugello, he won six consecutive races, sweeping both races at Magione, Monza and Binetto. His seventh victory came in the opening race at Imola.
Audi’s minimum weight increased by 30 kg at Binetto, and BMW subsequently became the more frequent race winner. Capello nevertheless retained his championship challenge through consistent results, finishing second and third at the Vallelunga finale. His 250 counted points secured the title ahead of Johnny Cecotto on 244 and Emanuele Naspetti on 242.
The Italian title joined Audi’s championship successes in six other countries during 1996. Although ST18 carried Capello through most of the season, the two third-place finishes he scored at Varano belong to ST23’s competition record.
ITALIAN SUPERTURISMO RACE RESULTS
| Date | Circuit | Race 1 | Race 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 14, 1996 | Mugello | 5th | 4th |
| April 21, 1996 | Magione | 1st | 1st |
| May 12, 1996 | Monza | 1st | 1st |
| May 26, 1996 | Binetto | 1st | 1st |
| July 7, 1996 | Misano | 3rd | 4th |
| July 21, 1996 | Imola | 1st | 2nd |
| August 4, 1996 | Pergusa | DSQ | 3rd |
| September 1, 1996 | Pergusa | 4th | 4th |
| October 6, 1996 | Vallelunga | 2nd | 3rd |
Results: Rinaldo Capello, number 1 Audi Sport Italia Audi A4 quattro. Varano is excluded because Capello used ST23 at that meeting.
1997 BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
The Super Touring Register lists ST18 with Frank Biela’s number 1 Audi Sport UK entry for 1997. Biela returned as defending BTCC champion alongside John Bintcliffe, with Audi’s quattro cars subject to an additional weight penalty that was subsequently reduced by 30 kg.
Biela finished runner-up to Renault’s Alain Menu, recording five victories and 171 championship points. Those figures describe his complete season: the ST18 page does not provide individual 1997 race results or establish whether he used this chassis at every meeting.
DOCUMENTED ENTRIES
| Year | Series | Team | Driver | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Italian Superturismo | Audi Sport Italia | Rinaldo Capello | 1 |
| 1997 | BTCC | Audi Sport UK | Frank Biela | 1 |
Chassis assignments follow the Super Touring Register.
LATER HISTORY
The cited chassis record does not document ST18’s subsequent competition history, ownership or present location. Its current-status field is also blank, leaving its later history open to further research.
PHOTO GALLERY
SOURCES AND NOTES
- Chassis history and results: Audi A4 ST18 — Super Touring Register.
- Italian championship: 1996 Italian Superturismo Championship — Wikipedia.
- British championship: 1997 British Touring Car Championship — Wikipedia.
- Varano substitution: The register identifies ST23 as Capello’s car at Varano. Those results are excluded from ST18’s table.
- Championship scoring: Capello scored 278 gross points, reduced to 250 under the championship’s dropped-results rules.
- Vallelunga correction: The ST18 register currently gives Capello third in the final race, matching Wikipedia. The sixth-place discrepancy noted in our earlier season draft is no longer present in the cited record.
- 1997 coverage: The register associates ST18 with Biela’s BTCC entry but supplies no race-by-race chassis assignments for that season.