2006 World Touring Car Championship Explained

The 2006 World Touring Car Championship season was the third season of FIA World Touring Car Championship motor racing. It featured a ten event, twenty race series which commenced on 2 April 2006 and ended on 19 November. The series was open to Super 2000, Diesel 2000 and Super Production Cars, with two titles awarded, the FIA World Touring Car Champion for Drivers and the FIA World Touring Car Champion for Manufacturers.^[1] Andy Priaulx won the Drivers title and BMW won the Manufacturers award.

Teams and drivers

The following drivers and teams contested the 2006 World Touring Car Championship.^[2]

Team	Car	No.	Drivers	Events
Manufacturer Teams
BMW Team UK	BMW 320si	1	Andy Priaulx	All
SEAT Sport	SEAT León	2	Gabriele Tarquini	All
SEAT Sport	SEAT León	3	Rickard Rydell	All
BMW Team Italy-Spain	BMW 320si	4	Alessandro Zanardi	All
BMW Team Italy-Spain	BMW 320si	5	Marcel Costa	1–4
Chevrolet RML	Chevrolet Lacetti	6	Robert Huff	All
		7	Nicola Larini	All
		8	Alain Menu	All
SEAT Sport	SEAT León	9	Jordi Gené	All
		10	Peter Terting	All
		11	James Thompson	All
		12	Yvan Muller	All
		14	Florian Gruber	4
N.technology	Alfa Romeo 156	15	Augusto Farfus	All
		16	Gianni Morbidelli	All
		18	Salvatore Tavano	All
SEAT Sport	SEAT León	21	Oscar Nogués	9
JAS Motorsport	Honda Accord Euro R	25	Fabrizio Giovanardi	5, 10
BMW Team UK	BMW 320si	40	Jan Magnussen	10
BMW Team Italy-Spain	BMW 320si	41	Duncan Huisman	5–10
BMW Team Deutschland	BMW 320si	42	Jörg Müller	All
BMW Team Deutschland	BMW 320si	43	Dirk Müller	All
SEAT Sport	SEAT León	66	André Couto	10
Independents' Trophy
GR Asia	SEAT Toledo Cupra	19	Maurizio Ceresoli	1–6
	SEAT Toledo Cupra	20	Tom Coronel	1–2
	Seat León	19	Maurizio Ceresoli	7–10
	Seat León	20	Tom Coronel	3–10
JAS Motorsport	Honda Accord Euro R	23	Pierre-Yves Corthals	1–4, 6–9
JAS Motorsport	Honda Accord Euro R	24	Ryan Sharp	1–7
Proteam Motorsport	BMW 320si	30	Luca Rangoni	All
Proteam Motorsport	BMW 320i	31	Stefano D'Aste	All
Wiechers-Sport	BMW 320i	32	Oscar Alberto Hidalgo	6
		33	Emmet O'Brien	1–5
		34	Diego Romanini	All
		35	Jan Vonka	7
Equipe TekProm	Alfa Romeo 156	36	Lucas Molo	5
Maurer Motorsport	Chevrolet Lacetti	37	Rainer Bastuck	7
		38	Vincent Radermecker	7, 9
		48	María de Villota	9
TFS-Yaco Racing	Toyota Corolla T-Sport	39	Philip Geipel	7
Československý Motorsport	Alfa Romeo 156 Gta	44	Jiří Janák	1
Peugeot Sport Denmark	Peugeot 407	46	Jens Edman	1, 4
Kosifler Motorsport	BMW 320i	47	Ibrahim Okyay	8
DB Motorsport	Alfa Romeo 156	51	Alessandro Balzan	1–2
DB Motorsport	Alfa Romeo 156	52	Elio Marchetti	1–2
Scuderia La Torre	Alfa Romeo 156 Gta	53	Riccardo Romagnoli	1–2
GDL Racing	BMW 320i	54	Emanuele Naspetti	1–2
Zerocinque Motorsport	BMW 320i	55	Stefano Valli	1–2
Zerocinque Motorsport	BMW 320i	56	Simone Iacone	1–2
Scuderia del Girasole	Seat León	57	Davide Roda	1–2
	Seat León	58	Roberto Colciago	2
	Seat Toledo Cupra	58	Roberto Colciago	1
Ao's Racing Team	BMW 320i	62	Ao Chi Hong	10

Drivers changes

Changed Teams

Gabriele Tarquini: Alfa Romeo Racing Team → SEAT Sport
James Thompson: Alfa Romeo Racing Team → SEAT Sport

Entering WTCC including those who entered one-off rounds in 2005

Yvan Muller: British Touring Car Championship → SEAT Sport
Marcel Costa: No full-time drive → BMW Team Italy-Spain
Gianni Morbidelli: FIA GT Championship → N-Technology
Salvatore Tavano: Italian Superturismo Championship → N-Technology
Maurizio Ceresoli: Italian Formula Three Championship → GR Asia
Pierre-Yves Corthals: No full-time drive → Jas Motorsport
Ryan Sharp: Formula Renault 3.5 Series → Jas Motorsport
Luca Rangoni: No full-time drive → Proteam Motorsport
Emmet O'Brien: European Alfa Romeo 147 Challenge → Wiechers-Sport
Diego Romanini: FIA GT Championship → Wiechers-Sport

Leaving WTCC

Fabrizio Giovanardi: Alfa Romeo Racing Team → British Touring Car Championship
Antonio García: BMW Team Italy-Spain → No full-time drive
Thomas Klenke: Ford Hotfiel Sport → No full-time drive
Michael Funke: Ford Hotfiel Sport → ADAC GT Masters
Roberto Colciago: Jas Motorsport → Italian Superturismo Championship
Adriano de Micheli: Jas Motorsport → No full-time drive
Giuseppe Cirò: Proteam Motorsport → Ferrari Challenge
Marc Hennerici: Wiechers-Sport → Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstreckenpokal Nürburgring

Calendar

Each event comprised two races of 50 kilometres distance.^[1] The starting grid for the first race was determined by the results of the qualifying session and the grid for the second race by the provisional results of the first race, with the top eight positions reversed.^[1]

Event		Race Name	Track	Date
1	R1	Race of Italy	Autodromo Nazionale di Monza	2 April
1	R2	Race of Italy	Autodromo Nazionale di Monza	2 April
2	R3	Race of France	Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours	30 April
2	R4	Race of France	Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours	30 April
3	R5	Race of UK	Brands Hatch	21 May
3	R6	Race of UK	Brands Hatch	21 May
4	R7	Race of Germany	Motorsport Arena Oschersleben	4 June
4	R8	Race of Germany	Motorsport Arena Oschersleben	4 June
5	R9	Race of Brazil	Autódromo Internacional de Curitiba	2 July
5	R10	Race of Brazil	Autódromo Internacional de Curitiba	2 July
6	R11	Race of Mexico	Autódromo Miguel E. Abed	30 July
6	R12	Race of Mexico	Autódromo Miguel E. Abed	30 July
7	R13	Race of the Czech Republic	Masaryk Circuit	3 September
7	R14	Race of the Czech Republic	Masaryk Circuit	3 September
8	R15	Race of Turkey	Istanbul Park	24 September
8	R16	Race of Turkey	Istanbul Park	24 September
9	R17	Race of Spain	Circuit Ricardo Tormo	8 October
9	R18	Race of Spain	Circuit Ricardo Tormo	8 October
10	R19	Guia Race of Macau	Guia Circuit	19 November
10	R20	Guia Race of Macau	Guia Circuit	19 November

Results and standings

Races

Race	nowrap	Race Name	nowrap	Pole Position	nowrap	Fastest lap	nowrap	Winning driver	nowrap	Winning team	nowrap	Winning independent	Report
1	Race of Italy	Andy Priaulx	Gabriele Tarquini	Andy Priaulx	BMW Team UK	nowrap	Alessandro Balzan	Report
2	Race of Italy		nowrap	James Thompson	Augusto Farfus	N.Technology	Alessandro Balzan	Report
3	Race of France	Gabriele Tarquini	Dirk Müller	Dirk Müller	BMW Team Germany	Tom Coronel	Report
4	Race of France		Andy Priaulx	Andy Priaulx	BMW Team UK	Stefano D'Aste	Report
5	Race of UK	Rickard Rydell	Peter Terting	Yvan Muller	SEAT Sport	Tom Coronel	Report
6	Race of UK		Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Chevrolet	Ryan Sharp	Report
7	Race of Germany	Andy Priaulx	Rickard Rydell	Andy Priaulx	BMW Team UK	Tom Coronel	Report
8	Race of Germany		Augusto Farfus	Jörg Müller	BMW Team Germany	Tom Coronel	Report
9	Race of Brazil	Augusto Farfus	Jordi Gené	Jordi Gené	SEAT Sport	Ryan Sharp	Report
10	Race of Brazil		nowrap	Alessandro Zanardi	Andy Priaulx	BMW Team UK	Report	Tom Coronel
11	Race of Mexico	nowrap	Salvatore Tavano	Ryan Sharp	nowrap	Salvatore Tavano	N.Technology	Ryan Sharp	Report
12	Race of Mexico		Augusto Farfus	Augusto Farfus	N.Technology	Tom Coronel			Report
13	Race of the Czech Republic	nowrap	Gabriele Tarquini	Yvan Muller	Jörg Müller	BMW Team Germany	Tom Coronel	Report
14		Robert Huff	Robert Huff	Chevrolet	Stefano D'Aste			Report
15	Race of Turkey	nowrap	Rickard Rydell	nowrap	Duncan Huisman	nowrap	Alessandro Zanardi	nowrap	BMW Team Italy/Spain	nowrap	Tom Coronel	Report
16	Race of Turkey		nowrap	Gabriele Tarquini	nowrap	Gabriele Tarquini	SEAT Sport	Stefano D'Aste				Report
17	Race of Spain	Augusto Farfus	Jordi Gené	Augusto Farfus	N.Technology	Luca Rangoni	Report
18	Race of Spain		Jörg Müller	Jörg Müller	BMW Team Germany	Luca Rangoni	Report
19	Guia Race of Macau	Andy Priaulx	Alain Menu	Andy Priaulx	BMW Team UK	Tom Coronel	Report
20	Guia Race of Macau		Yvan Muller	Jörg Müller	BMW Team Germany	Tom Coronel	Report

Championship standings

Points system
1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th
10	8	6	5	4	3	2	1

Drivers' Championship

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%; text-align: center"
valign=middle	Pos ^[3]	valign=middle	Driver	ITA		FRA		UK		GER		BRA		MEX		CZE		TUR		ESP		MAC	valign=middle	Pts
1	Andy Priaulx	1	Ret	8	1	8	8	1	10	8	1	18	7	5	2	14	Ret	Ret	8	1	5	73
2	Jörg Müller	28	25†	2	2	Ret	Ret	7	1	9	7	19	15	1	4	Ret	8	6	1	6	1	72
3	Augusto Farfus Jr.	8	1	21	12	22	11	6	2	3	Ret	2	1	Ret	15	9	20†	1	5	5	Ret	64
4	Yvan Muller	2	2	13	7	1	5	11	8	13	13	14	Ret	3	3	13	Ret	10	6	3	2	62
5	Gabriele Tarquini	5	6	4	5	6	4	4	7	4	5	10	8	Ret	10	3	1	24†	DNS	11	Ret	57
6	Dirk Müller	4	Ret	1	DNS	9	6	2	3	20	15	6	4	9	5	4	7	11	7	14	8	54
7	Rickard Rydell	6	22†	3	Ret	5	2	3	5	6	Ret	8	3	Ret	DNS	2	4	23†	20	16	14†	54
8	James Thompson	3	9	7	4	3	3	5	6	5	4	5	5	14	24†	17	13	9	12	10	4	54
9	Peter Terting	13	8	6	6	2	18	8	4	2	6	9	Ret	10	8	6	2	5	21	8	Ret	49
10	Jordi Gené	12	5	5	3	18	10	16	14	1	14	11	9	4	6	Ret	5	16	Ret	12	Ret	36
11	Alessandro Zanardi	7	23†	14	Ret	10	9	24	13	10	3	17	Ret	2	22†	1	9	15	17	23	9	26
12	Nicola Larini	27	7	11	8	NC	12	14	21	Ret	DNS	15	Ret	11	7	7	3	3	4	22†	DNS	24
13	Duncan Huisman									11	16	21	11	18	9	5	10	7	2	2	13	22
14	Gianni Morbidelli	29†	10	20	14	12	7	9	11	7	2	7	2	17	14	10	16	13	11	Ret	DNS	22
15	Alain Menu	10	3	19	13	7	1	13	Ret	19†	10	12	Ret	7	Ret	20†	Ret	8	9	21†	10	21
16	Robert Huff	19	12	9	9	4	Ret	12	9	18	8	Ret	DNS	8	1	15	6	Ret	15	9	Ret	20
17	Tom Coronel	Ret	13	10	16	13	14	10	12	14	11	4	6	6	23†	8	12	14	13	7	3	20
18	Salvatore Tavano	Ret	DNS	NC	15	21	16	23	17	15	9	1	Ret	15	18	NC	15	4	10	15	Ret	15
19	Luca Rangoni	15	Ret	12	21	20	15	17	23	17	Ret	23	12	Ret	12	21†	21†	2	3	20	12	14
20	Fabrizio Giovanardi									16	DNS									4	6	8
21	Ryan Sharp	18	14	22	Ret	16	13	25	18	12	12	3	Ret	12	17							6
22	Alessandro Balzan	9	4	Ret	17																	5
23	André Couto																			13	7	2
NC	Stefano D'Aste	14	21	18	10	19	Ret	19	19	Ret	Ret	22	Ret	13	11	12	11	20	19	Ret	11	0
NC	Pierre-Yves Corthals	22	DNS	16	Ret	17	Ret	Ret	DNS			13	10	16	16	11	19	12	16			0
NC	Marcel Costa	11	Ret	Ret	Ret	11	Ret	18	16													0
NC	Roberto Colciago	Ret	DNS	15	11																	0
NC	Simone Iacone	16	11	25	DNS																	0
NC	Vincent Radermecker													19	13			18	14			0
NC	Diego Romanini	20	24†	27	22	15	Ret	22	25†	22	17	20	13	23	19	18	18	22	23	18	15	0
NC	Maurizio Ceresoli	25	19	NC	19	14	19	21	22	Ret	DNS	16	16†	20	NC	16	17	17	18	17	Ret	0
NC	Ibrahim Okyay															19	14					0
NC	Oscar Hidalgo											24	14									0
NC	Florian Gruber							15	15													0
NC	Emmet O'Brien	26†	15	23	23	Ret	17	Ret	24	21	Ret											0
NC	Riccardo Romagnoli	17	16	26	18																	0
NC	Stefano Valli	24	17	Ret	DNS																	0
NC	Emanuele Naspetti	30†	DNS	17	Ret																	0
NC	Jiří Janák	21	18																			0
NC	Lucas Molo									Ret	18†											0
NC	Oscar Nogués																	19	22			0
NC	Ao Chi Hong																			19	Ret	0
NC	Davide Roda	23	20	28	20																	0
NC	Jens Edman	Ret	DNS					20	20													0
NC	Rainer Bastuck													22	20							0
NC	Phillip Geipel													21	Ret							0
NC	María de Villota																	21	Ret			0
NC	Jan Vonka													Ret	21							0
NC	Elio Marchetti	Ret	DNS	24	Ret																	0
NC	Jan Magnussen																			Ret	Ret	0
valign=middle	Pos	valign=middle	Driver	ITA		FRA		UK		GER		BRA		MEX		CZE		TUR		ESP		MAC	valign=middle	Pts

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

† — Drivers did not finish the race, but were classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance.

Manufacturers' Championship

Championship points were awarded on a 10–8–6–5–4–3–2–1 basis for the first eight positions in each race. However, only the two best placed cars per manufacturer were eligible to score points and all other cars from that manufacturer were considered invisible as far as point scoring was concerned.^[1]

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 80%; text-align: center"
valign=middle	Pos	valign=middle	Manufacturer	ITA		FRA		UK		GER		BRA		MEX		CZE		TUR		ESP		MAC	valign=middle	Pts
1	BMW	1	15	1	1	8	6	1	1	8	1	6	4	1	2	1	7	2	1	1	1	254
1	4	17	2	2	9	8	2	3	9	3	17	7	2	4	4	8	6	2	2	5
2	SEAT	2	2	3	3	1	2	3	4	1	4	4	3	3	3	2	1	5	6	3	2	235
2	3	5	4	4	2	3	4	5	2	5	5	5	4	6	3	2	9	12	7	3
3	Alfa Romeo	8	1	20	12	12	7	6	2	3	2	1	1	15	14	9	15	1	5	5	Ret	154
3	9	4	21	14	21	11	9	11	7	9	2	2	17	15	10	16	4	10	15	Ret
4	Chevrolet	10	3	9	8	4	1	12	9	18	8	12	Ret	7	1	7	3	3	4	9	10	128
4	19	7	11	9	7	12	13	21	19†	10	15	Ret	8	7	15	6	8	9	21†	Ret
valign=middle	Pos	valign=middle	Manufacturer	ITA		FRA		UK		GER		BRA		MEX		CZE		TUR		ESP		MAC	valign=middle	Pts

Yokohama Independents' Trophy

Points were awarded on a 10–8–6–5–4–3–2–1 basis for the first eight finishers of those entries which were classified as Independents.

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 80%; text-align: center"
valign=middle	Pos	valign=middle	Driver	ITA		FRA		UK		GER		BRA		MEX		CZE		TUR		ESP		MAC	valign=middle	Pts
1	Tom Coronel	Ret	13	10	16	13	14	10	12	14	11	4	6	6	23†	8	12	14	13	7	3	178
2	Luca Rangoni	15	Ret	12	21	20	15	17	23	17	Ret	23	12	Ret	12	21†	21†	2	3	20	12	100
3	Stefano D'Aste	14	21	18	10	19	Ret	19	19	Ret	Ret	22	Ret	13	11	12	11	20	19	Ret	11	93
4	Ryan Sharp	18	14	22	Ret	16	13	25	18	12	12	3	Ret	12	17							75
5	Maurizio Ceresoli	25	19	NC	19	14	19	21	22	Ret	DNS	16	16†	20	NC	16	17	17	18	17	Ret	69
6	Diego Romanini	20	24†	27	22	15	Ret	22	25†	22	17	20	13	23	19	18	18	22	23	18	15	67
7	Pierre-Yves Corthals	22	DNS	16	Ret	17	Ret	Ret	DNS			13	10	16	16	11	19	12	16			57
8	Alessandro Balzan	9	4	Ret	17																	25
9	Vincent Radermecker													19	13			18	14			20
10	Emmet O'Brien	26†	15	23	23	Ret	17	Ret	24	21	Ret											17
11	Roberto Colciago	Ret	DNS	15	11																	14
12	Simone Iacone	16	11	25	DNS																	13
13	Riccardo Romagnoli	17	16	26	18																	11
14	Jens Edman	Ret	DNS					20	20													10
15	Ao Chi Hong																			19	Ret	10
16	Ibrahim Okyay															19	14					9
17	Lucas Molo									Ret	18†											5
18	Oscar Hidalgo											24	14									5
19	Emanuele Naspetti	30†	DNS	17	Ret																	4
20	Rainer Bastuck													22	20							3
21	María de Villota																	21	Ret			2
22	Phillip Geipel													21	Ret							2
23	Davide Roda	23	20	28	20																	2
24	Stefano Valli	24	17	Ret	DNS																	2
25	Jiří Janák	21	18																			2
26	Jan Vonka													Ret	21							1
NC	Elio Marchetti	Ret	DNS	24	Ret																	0
valign=middle	Pos	valign=middle	Driver	ITA		FRA		UK		GER		BRA		MEX		CZE		TUR		ESP		MAC	valign=middle	Pts

Dead-heat

10p: 14th Edman (4th x 2), 15th A. Chi Hong (4th x 1)
5p: 17th L. Molo (4th x 1), 18th O. Hidalgo (5th x 1)
2p: 21st M. De Villota (7th x 1), 22nd P. Geipel (7th x 1), 23rd D. Roda (7th x 1), 24th S. Valli (8th x 2)

Yokohama Teams' Trophy

Points were awarded on a 10–8–6–5–4–3–2–1 basis for the first eight finishers of those entries which were classified as Independents.

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 80%; text-align: center"
valign=middle	Pos	valign=middle	Team	ITA		FRA		UK		GER		BRA		MEX		CZE		TUR		ESP		MAC	valign=middle	Pts
1	GR Asia	25	13	10	16	13	14	10	12	14	11	4	6	6	23†	8	12	14	13	7	3	247
1	Ret	19	NC	19	14	19	21	22	Ret	DNS	16	16†	20	NC	16	17	17	18	17	Ret
2	Proteam Motorsport	14	21	12	10	19	15	17	19	17	Ret	23	12	13	11	12	11	2	3	20	11	193
2	15	Ret	18	21	20	Ret	19	23	Ret	Ret	24	Ret	Ret	12	21†	21†	20	19	Ret	12
3	JAS Motorsport	18	14	16	Ret	16	13	25	18	12	12	3	10	12	16	11	19	12	16			132
3	22	DNS	22	Ret	17	Ret	Ret	DNS			13	Ret	16	17
4	Wiechers-Sport	20	15	23	22	15	17	22	24	21	17	20	13	23	19	18	18	22	23	18	15	90
4	26†	24†	27	23	Ret	Ret	Ret	25	22	Ret	24	14	Ret	21
5	DB Motorsport	9	4	24	17																	25
5	Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret
6	Maurer Motorsport													19	13			18	14			25
6													22	20			21	Ret
7	Scuderia del Girasole	23	20	15	11																	16
7	Ret	DNS	28	20
8	Zerocinque Motorsport	16	11	25	DNS																	15
8	24	17	Ret	DNS
9	Scuderia la Torre	17	16	26	18																	11
10	Peugeot Sport Denmark	Ret	DNS					20	20													10
11	Ao's Racing Team																			19	Ret	10
12	Kosifler Motorsport															19	14					9
13	Equipe TekProm									Ret	18†											5
14	GDL Racing	30†	DNS	17	Ret																	4
15	TFS-Yaco Racing													21	Ret							2
16	Československý Motorsport	21	18																			2
valign=middle	Pos	valign=middle	Team	ITA		FRA		UK		GER		BRA		MEX		CZE		TUR		ESP		MAC	valign=middle	Pts

External links

FIA World Touring Car Championship official website as archived at web.archive.org on 23 December 2006

Notes and References

https://web.archive.org/web/20061210163608/http://www.fia.com/resources/documents/1703320720__touring_sport_reg.pdf 2006 World Touring Car Championship Sporting Regulations, 22 March 2006
https://web.archive.org/web/20101030222237/http://fiawtcc.com/archives/2006/2006_WTCC_Entrylist.pdf 2006 WTCC Entry List, fiawtcc.com
https://web.archive.org/web/20100104234505/http://fiawtcc.com/archives/2006/2006_WTCC_Points.pdf 2006 WTCC point standings, fiawtcc.com