The 2002 European Touring Car Championship season comprised 10 stations, each of which had 2 runs. In the first half of the season, Alfa Romeo and, above all, Fabrizio Giovanardi dominated the action. It was only in the second half of the season that BMW was able to break through this dominance due to rule changes intended to ensure more balance. But Giovanardi had too big a lead in the championship and was superior European champion.