International Touring Car Championship 1996

The Opel Calibra V6 DTM successfully used by Opel (photo shows model from 1993).

The 1996 International Touring Car Championship was the second and last season of the ITC . After the DTM was held in parallel with the ITC the year before on the way to internationalization , the DTM was completely absorbed into the ITC in 1996. In official statistics, the 1996 ITC season is considered part of the DTM. The first run took place on April 14, 1996 at the Hockenheimring and the season finale took place on November 10 at the Suzuka International Racing Course .

A total of 26 races were held in Germany , Portugal , Finland , Great Britain , France , Italy , Brazil and Japan . Two runs were carried out on each of the 13 race weekends.

Overall winner was Manuel Reuter in the Opel Calibra V6 4 × 4 with 218 points. It was the first title win for Opel.

Since the cost of developing and using the racing cars had risen too much, Opel and Alfa Romeo withdrew from the championship at the end of the season. This left only Mercedes as a designer in the ITC, whereupon the racing series was discontinued. It was not until 2000 that the German Touring Car Masters (DTM) was re-established as a successor series.

Starting field

The following drivers started the season:

No.	driver	team	vehicle	Race weekend
1	Bernd Schneider	D2 Mercedes-AMG	AMG-Mercedes C-Class DTM	all
2	Dario Franchitti			all
3	Jan Magnussen	Warsteiner Mercedes-AMG	AMG-Mercedes C-Class DTM	1-6, 9-13
	Juan Pablo Montoya			7th
	Ricardo Zonta			8th
4th	Alexander Gray			1-6
	Bernd Mayländer			7-13
5	Nicola Larini	Martini Alfa Corse	Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI	all
6th	Alessandro Nannini			all
7th	Manuel Reuter	Joest Racing Opel	Opel Calibra V6 4 × 4	all
8th	Oliver Gavin			1-10, 12, 13
	Masanori Sekiya			11
9	Stefano Modena	JAS Motorsport	Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI	all
10	Michael Bartels	Jägermeister JAS Motorsport	Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI	all
11	Jörg van Ommen	UPS Mercedes-AMG	AMG-Mercedes C-Class DTM	all
12	Kurt Thiim			1-11
	Christian Fittipaldi			12
	Aguri Suzuki			13
13	Gianni Giudici	Giudici Motorsport	Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI	1-5
			Opel Calibra V6 4 × 4	6-8, 10, 11
14th	Giancarlo Fisichella	TV feature film Alfa Corse	Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI	all
15th	Christian Danner			all
16	Uwe Alzen	Zakspeed Team Opel	Opel Calibra V6 4 × 4	all
17th	Klaus Ludwig			1-9, 11-13
	Volker Strycek			10
18th	Gabriele Tarquini	JAS Motorsport	Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI	all
19th	Jason Watt	Bosch JAS Motorsport	Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI	1-11
	Max Wilson			12
	Naoki Hattori			13
21st	Ellen Lohr	Persson Motorsport	AMG-Mercedes C-Class DTM	1-8
	Alexander Gray			9-13
22nd	Bernd Mayländer			1-6
	Alexander Gray			7, 8
	Ellen Lohr			9-13
23	Volker Strycek	Joest Racing Opel	Opel Calibra V6 4 × 4	8th
24	Yannick Dalmas			all
25th	Alexander Wurz			1-11
	Tony Kanaan			12
	Masanori Sekiya			13
37	Ratanakul Prutirat	Persson Motorsport	AMG-Mercedes C-Class DTM	6th
43	JJ Lehto	Team Rosberg Opel	Opel Calibra V6 4 × 4	all
44	Hans-Joachim Stuck			all

Race calendar and results

round		Race (track)	date	distance	Pole position	Fastest lap	winner	vehicle
1	Run 1	Hockenheimring racing festival	April 14th	100.244 km	Nicola Larini	Alessandro Nannini	Manuel Reuter	Opel Calibra V6 4 × 4
	Run 2			100.244 km		Jan Magnussen	Jan Magnussen	AMG Mercedes C-Class DTM
2	Run 1	Eifel race Nürburgring	12th of May	100.232 km	Jörg van Ommen	Dario Franchitti	Jörg van Ommen	AMG Mercedes C-Class DTM
	Run 2			100.232 km		Jörg van Ommen	Manuel Reuter	Opel Calibra V6 4 × 4
3	Run 1	Circuito do Estoril	May 26	82.640 km	Alessandro Nannini	Alessandro Nannini	Alessandro Nannini	Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
	Run 2			82.640 km		Alessandro Nannini	Alessandro Nannini	Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
4th	Run 1	Helsinki Thunder	June 9th	96.992 km	Hans-Joachim Stuck	Dario Franchitti	Hans-Joachim Stuck	Opel Calibra V6 4 × 4
	Run 2			96.992 km		Hans-Joachim Stuck	Hans-Joachim Stuck	Opel Calibra V6 4 × 4
5	Run 1	200 miles from Nuremberg Norisring	23rd June	101.200 km	Uwe Alzen	Uwe Alzen	Klaus Ludwig	Opel Calibra V6 4 × 4
	Run 2			101.200 km		Uwe Alzen	Klaus Ludwig	Opel Calibra V6 4 × 4
6th	Run 1	Airfield race Diepholz Diepholz Air Base	7th of July	76.160 km	Bernd Schneider	Bernd Schneider	Bernd Schneider	AMG Mercedes C-Class DTM
	Run 2			100.640 km		Alexander Wurz	Bernd Schneider	AMG Mercedes C-Class DTM
7th	Run 1	Silverstone Circuit	18th of August	114,400 km	Klaus Ludwig	Alessandro Nannini	Klaus Ludwig	Opel Calibra V6 4 × 4
	Run 2			114,400 km		Gabriele Tarquini	Gabriele Tarquini	Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
8th	Run 1	Nürburgring Touring Car Grand Prix	September 1	100.232 km	Alessandro Nannini	Alessandro Nannini	Alessandro Nannini	Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
	Run 2			100.232 km		Alessandro Nannini	Alessandro Nannini	Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
9	Run 1	Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours	September 15th	102,000 km	Nicola Larini	Giancarlo Fisichella	Alessandro Nannini	Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
	Run 2			102,000 km		Giancarlo Fisichella	Alessandro Nannini	Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
10	Run 1	Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello	September 29th	104,900 km	Nicola Larini	Nicola Larini	Nicola Larini	Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
	Run 2			104,900 km		Bernd Schneider	Bernd Schneider	AMG Mercedes C-Class DTM
11	Run 1	ADAC Prize Hockenheim Hockenheimring	October 13th	102.345 km	Klaus Ludwig	Uwe Alzen	Klaus Ludwig	Opel Calibra V6 4 × 4
	Run 2			102.345 km		Manuel Reuter	Manuel Reuter	Opel Calibra V6 4 × 4
12	Run 1	Autódromo José Carlos Pace	October 27	103.032 km	Christian Danner	Alessandro Nannini	Alessandro Nannini	Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
	Run 2			103.032 km		Giancarlo Fisichella	Nicola Larini	Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI
13	Run 1	Suzuka International Racing Course	November 10th	105.552 km	Christian Danner	Christian Danner	Dario Franchitti	AMG Mercedes C-Class DTM
	Run 2			105.552 km		Bernd Schneider	Bernd Schneider	AMG Mercedes C-Class DTM

Championship results

Point system

Points were awarded to the first 10 classified drivers in the following number:

space	1.	2.	3.	4th	5.	6th	7th	8th.	9.	10.
Points	20th	15th	12	10	8th	6th	4th	3	2	1

Driver ranking

A total of 26 drivers made it into the points classification.

space	driver	HOC1		ONLY1		EST		HEL		NOR		THE		SIL		ONLY2		MGC		MUG		HOC2		SAO		SUZ		Points
1	Manuel Reuter	1	3	3	1	4th	3	2	2	6th	5	10	6th	6th	6th	4th	16	DNF	DNS	18th	7th	2	1	4th	4th	13	14th	218
2	Bernd Schneider	4th	2	4th	6th	11	12	16	DNF	9	6th	1	1	16	5	2	2	DNF	8th	2	1	14th	DNF	5	14th	3	1	205
3	Alessandro Nannini	10	13	EX	EX	1	1	14th	4th	DNF	DNF	6th	DNF	17th	11	1	1	1	1	11	DNF	6th	DNF	1	5	10	5	180
4th	Dario Franchitti	3	4th	2	8th	9	10	17th	DNS	5	DNF	2	2	21st	14th	3	3	6th	4th	4th	2	DNF	7th	13	10	1	DNF	171
5	JJ Lehto	15th	DNF	5	2	16	DNF	5	3	4th	3	7th	DNF	5	2	7th	5	5	3	9	15th	5	8th	6th	9	DNF	8th	148
6th	Giancarlo Fisichella	7th	10	EX	EX	2	5	12	5	11	DNF	3	DNF	DNF	9	5	4th	3	2	3	13	12	5	12	16	4th	2	139
7th	Klaus Ludwig	DNF	DNS	DNF	DNF	3	11	3	DNF	1	1	DNF	DNF	1	DNF	DNF	11	9	5			1	2	DNF	DNF	DNF	10	130
8th	Uwe Alzen	8th	6th	18th	4th	5	2	13	DNF	2	2	11	10	13	DNF	12	6th	4th	13	7th	3	3	DNF	DNF	DNS	9	12	119
9	Hans-Joachim Stuck	5	7th	6th	14th	DNF	7th	1	1	7th	4th	5	4th	12	15th	22nd	12	7th	DNF	5	16	17th	9	7th	DNF	18th	18th	112
10	Jan Magnussen	2	1	7th	3	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNS	17th	DNS	16	DNF					DNF	DNF	DNF	5	DNF	4th	14th	3	7th	3	97
11	Nicola Larini	11	12	DNF	7th	DNF	DNF	DNF	6th	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNS	3	DNF	6th	15th	2	DNF	1	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	1	6th	6th	95
12	Stefano Modena	DNF	DNS	17th	DNF	DNS	9	7th	DNF	3	13	4th	3	4th	DNF	13	10	13	7th	DNF	14th	DNF	10	2	8th	5	4th	92
13	Jörg van Ommen	DNF	9	1	13	7th	4th	9	DNF	8th	7th	13	5	18th	DNF	9	8th	8th	9	NC	8th	8th	3	15th	6th	14th	13	87
14th	Gabriele Tarquini	DNF	DNS	10	5	DNF	14th	DNF	DNS	DNF	DNS	20th	DNS	2	1	DNF	17th	15th	DNF	13	6th	4th	DNF	DNF	DNS	DNS	DNF	60
15th	Christian Danner	13	DNF	9	10	12	13	8th	DNF	DNF	DNS	15th	DNF	10	13	18th	20th	DNF	DNS	12	DNF	7th	6th	3	DNF	2	7th	48
16	Alexander Wurz	DNF	DNF	12	DSQ	10	8th	DNF	9	12	8th	9	8th	7th	4th	DNF	DNS	10	6th	6th	9	DNF	DNS					43
17th	Yannick Dalmas	DNF	11	DNF	DNS	8th	DNF	6th	DNF	DNF	DNS	12	7th	9	7th	8th	7th	DNF	DNS	10	10	18th	DNF	8th	11	12	9	33
18th	Kurt Thiim	12	8th	8th	12	DNS	DNS	18th	DNF	DNF	DNF	14th	11	DNF	10	10	DNF	11	10	8th	4th	10	DNF					23
19th	Bernd Mayländer																							9	2			17th
19th	Jason Watt	DNF	DNF	13	9	15th	DNS	DNS	DNS	15th	DNS	22nd	12	8th	3	14th	DNF	DNF	12	14th	DNF	DNF	DNF					17th
21st	Max Wilson	14th	14th	11	DNF	18th	DNF	4th	DNF	DNF	DNS	8th	DNF	DSQ	8th	15th	14th	DNF	DNS	20th	DNS	13	DNF	DNF	17th	15th	17th	16
21st	Michael Bartels	6th	5	DNF	DNS	13	DNS	DNF	10	13	10	18th	DNF	15th	DNF	17th	18th	14th	11	15th	11	DNF	12	17th	12	17th	15th	16
21st	Oliver Gavin	DNF	DNS	14th	DNF	6th	6th	10	DNF	10	12	17th	9	11	DNF	16	DNF	12	15th	17th	DNF			11	15th	16	11	16
24	Alexander Gray	DNF	DNF	16	DNF	14th	DNF	11	7th	16	11	19th	14th	14th	DNF	11	9	DNF	DNS	DNF	DNF	9	DNF	16	7th	8th	DNF	15th
25th	Ellen Lohr	9	DNF	15th	11	DNF	DNF	15th	8th	14th	9	21st	13	20th	12	20th	21st	DNF	14th	16	12	11	11	18th	13	21st	DNF	7th
26th	Christian Fittipaldi																							10	DNF			1
27	Aguri Suzuki																									11	DNS	0
27	Masanori Sekiya																					15th	13			20th	DNS	0
27	Ricardo Zonta															DNF	13											0
27	Gianni Giudici	DNF	15th	DNF	DNS	17th	15th	19th	NC	DNF	14th	DNF	DNF	19th	DNF	21st	22nd			DNF	DNF	16	DNF					0
27	Naoki Hattori																									19th	16	0
27	Volker Strycek															19th	19th			19th	DNF							0
27	Juan Pablo Montoya													DNF	DNF													0
27	Tony Kanaan																							DNF	DNF			0
27	Ratanakul Prutirat											DNQ	DNQ															0
space	driver	HOC1		ONLY1		EST		HEL		NOR		THE		SIL		ONLY2		MGC		MUG		HOC2		SAO		SUZ		Points

Legend
colour	abbreviation	meaning
gold	-	victory
silver	-	2nd place
bronze	-	3rd place
green	-	Placement in the points
blue	-	Classified outside the point ranks
violet	DNF	Race not finished (did not finish)
	NC	not classified
red	DNQ	did not qualify
	DNPQ	failed in pre-qualification (did not pre-qualify)
black	DSQ	disqualified
White	DNS	not at the start (did not start)
	WD	withdrawn
Light Blue	PO	only participated in the training (practiced only)
	TD	Friday test driver
without	DNP	did not participate in the training (did not practice)
	INJ	injured or sick
	EX	excluded
	DNA	did not arrive
	C.	Race canceled
		no participation in the World Cup
other	P / bold	Pole position
	SR / italic	Fastest race lap
	*	not at the finish, but counted due to the distance covered
	()	Streak results
	underlined	Leader in the overall standings

literature

• DTM - The Story - The official book of the DTM . Heel Verlag GmbH, Königswinter 2003, ISBN 3-89365-993-5 .
• Jörg Walz: The ITC Yearbook '96. International Touring Car Championship . Heel Verlag GmbH, Königswinter 1996, ISBN 3-89365-532-8 .
• ITC '96 experienced live . Zeitgeist Verlag, Düsseldorf 1996, ISBN 3-613-30333-7 .

Web links

Commons : International Touring Car Championship 1996  - Collection of Pictures, Videos and Audio Files

• The 1996 DTM season on the official DTM website

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e} DTM website: 1996: Opel's breakthrough. From: www.dtm.com , accessed July 31, 2018 .