2016 World Touring Car Championship

The 2016 World Touring Car Championship is the thirteenth season of the FIA World Touring Car Championship, and the twelfth since the series was revived in 2005.^[1]

In 2016 a new manufacturer Polestar (with Volvo S60) entered while Citroën reduced the number of official entries to two, and announced their retirement in 2017. A new team time trial format was introduced for manufacturers, titled Manufacturers Against the Clock (MAC3), consisting in three cars per manufacturer completing two laps at the same time (only one lap at the Nürburgring) against the clock, whereby the total time of the last car determines the result. The cars must finish in a 15 seconds gap.

Teams and drivers

Manufacturer TC1 entries Team Car No. Drivers Rounds Lada Sport Rosneft[2] Lada Vesta WTCC[2] 2 Gabriele Tarquini[3] All 7 Hugo Valente[3] All 10 Nick Catsburg[3] All Honda Racing Team JAS[4] Honda Civic WTCC[5] 5 Norbert Michelisz[5] All 34 Ryo Michigami[6] 9 Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team[5] 12 Robert Huff[5] All 18 Tiago Monteiro[5] All Citroën Racing[7] Citroën C-Elysée WTCC[7] 37 José María López[7] All 68 Yvan Muller[7] All Polestar Cyan Racing[8] Volvo S60 Polestar TC1 61 Fredrik Ekblom[9] 1–6, 10 62 Thed Björk[9] All 63 Robert Dahlgren[10] 7–8, 11 81 Néstor Girolami[11] 9 Independent TC1 entries Team Car No. Drivers Rounds Sébastien Loeb Racing[12] Citroën C-Elysée WTCC 3 Tom Chilton[13] All 11 Grégoire Demoustier[14] All 25 Mehdi Bennani[12] All ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1 8 Sabine Schmitz 5 15 James Thompson[15] 2, 4, 6–11 77 René Münnich[4] 1, 3 ROAL Motorsport Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1 9 Tom Coronel[4] All Campos Racing[4] Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1[4] 27 John Filippi[16] All 86 Esteban Guerrieri[17] 8 Zengő Motorsport[4] Honda Civic WTCC[4] 55 Ferenc Ficza[18] 1–7, 9–11 99 Dániel Nagy[18] 1, 7–11

Calendar

The provisional 2016 schedule was revealed on 2 December 2015.^[19] With the confirmation of the 2016 SMP F4 Championship calendar, it was originally confirmed the season would start at the Sochi Autodrom, with the Russian round of the championship switching from Moscow Raceway.^[20] However, on 9 February 2016, the calendar was adjusted, leaving the Russian round at Moscow in June.^[21]

Rnd.	Race	Race Name	Circuit	Date
1	1	JVC Kenwood Race of France	Circuit Paul Ricard	3 April
	2
2	3	Race of Slovakia	Automotodróm Slovakia Ring	17 April
	4
3	5	Race of Hungary	Hungaroring	24 April
	6
4	7	Afriquia Race of Morocco	Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan	8 May
	8
5	9	Race of Germany	Nürburgring Nordschleife	28 May
	10
6	11	Rosneft Race of Russia	Moscow Raceway	12 June
	12
7	13	Race of Portugal	Circuito Internacional de Vila Real	26 June
	14
8	15	Race of Argentina	Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo	7 August
	16
9	17	JVC Kenwood Race of Japan	Twin Ring Motegi	4 September
	18
10	19	Race of China	Shanghai International Circuit	25 September
	20
11	21	Race of Qatar	Losail International Circuit	25 November
	22

Calendar changes

• The Race of Thailand was cancelled after the organiser Eurosport Events and the Thai ASN failed to come to an agreement. No replacement race will be held, reducing the calendar to 11 race weekends. ^[22]

Results and standings

Races

Compensation weights

The most competitive cars keep an 80 kg compensation weight. The other cars get a lower one, calculated according to their results for the three previous rounds. The less the cars get some good results, the less they get a compensation weight, from 0 kg to 80 kg. For the first two rounds, Citroën C-Elysée WTCC had an 80 kg compensation weight.

Races

Race	Race Name	MAC3 winner	Pole Position	Fastest lap	Winning driver	Winning team	Winning manufacturer	Independent winner	Report
1	Race of France	Citroën		Robert Huff	Robert Huff	Castrol Honda	Honda	Mehdi Bennani	Report
2			José María López	Yvan Muller	José María López	Citroën Racing	Citroën	Mehdi Bennani
3	Race of Slovakia	Citroën Honda		Robert Huff	Tiago Monteiro	Castrol Honda	Honda	Mehdi Bennani	Report
4			Yvan Muller	José María López	José María López	Citroën Racing	Citroën	Mehdi Bennani
5	Race of Hungary	Honda		José María López	Mehdi Bennani	Sébastien Loeb Racing	Citroën	Mehdi Bennani	Report
6			José María López	José María López	José María López	Citroën Racing	Citroën	Tom Chilton
7	Race of Morocco	Citroën		Hugo Valente	Tom Coronel	ROAL Motorsport	Chevrolet	Tom Coronel	Report
8			Robert Huff	Gabriele Tarquini	José María López[N 1]	Citroën Racing	Citroën	Mehdi Bennani
9	Race of Germany	Honda		Tom Chilton	José María López	Citroën Racing	Citroën	Tom Chilton	Report
10			José María López	Mehdi Bennani	José María López	Citroën Racing	Citroën	Tom Chilton
11	Race of Russia	Honda		Nick Catsburg	Gabriele Tarquini	Lada Sport Rosneft	Lada	James Thompson	Report
12			Nick Catsburg	Ferenc Ficza	Nick Catsburg	Lada Sport Rosneft	Lada	James Thompson
13	Race of Portugal	Citroën		José María López	Tom Coronel	ROAL Motorsport	Chevrolet	Tom Coronel	Report
14			Tiago Monteiro	Robert Huff	Tiago Monteiro	Castrol Honda	Honda	Mehdi Bennani
15	Race of Argentina	Honda		José María López	Tom Chilton	Sébastien Loeb Racing	Citroën	Tom Chilton	Report
16			José María López	José María López	José María López	Citroën Racing	Citroën	Tom Coronel
17	Race of Japan	Citroën		Thed Björk	Norbert Michelisz	Honda Racing Team JAS	Honda	Tom Chilton	Report
18			José María López	José María López	Yvan Muller	Citroën Racing	Citroën	Mehdi Bennani
19	Race of China	Honda		Thed Björk	Thed Björk	Polestar Cyan Racing	Volvo	Tom Coronel	Report
20			José María López	José María López	José María López	Citroën Racing	Citroën	Mehdi Bennani
21	Race of Qatar	Citroën		Gabriele Tarquini	Gabriele Tarquini	Lada Sport Rosneft	Lada	Tom Chilton	Report
22			Mehdi Bennani	Nick Catsburg	Mehdi Bennani	Sébastien Loeb Racing	Citroën	Mehdi Bennani

Championship standings

Drivers' championship

Pos. Driver FRA SVK HUN MAR GER RUS PRT ARG JPN CHN QAT  Pts.  1 José María López 6 11 5 13 13 11 2 11 1 11 5 8 5 55 5 11 4 21 4 11 9 33 381 2 Yvan Muller 13 43 7 51 12 2 3 23 Ret DNS2 3 11 9 22 3 54 5 12 3 23 4 64 257 3 Tiago Monteiro 4 22 1 2 11 34 DSQ DSQ Ret DNS 6 5 10 11 4 4 3 34 10 8 Ret 5 214 4 Norbert Michelisz 3 3 6 44 DNS 10 DSQ DSQ 3 24 10 35 8 33 6 82 1 8 2 11 5 45 213 5 Mehdi Bennani 2 8 2 6 1 8 6 5 5 5 9 10 4 8 8 7 16 43 11 34 16 11 206 6 Robert Huff 1 6 3 145 10 63 DSQ DSQ 4 4 7 4 6 44 2 3 2 9 9 13 3 8 199 7 Nick Catsburg 8 55 11 32 3 13 Ret 72 9 6 2 11 3 7 13 12 7 11 5 42 8 14 175 8 Tom Chilton 11 9 9 7 2 5 5 DSQ 2 35 14 16 2 10 1 9 8 65 Ret 9 2 Ret 163 9 Gabriele Tarquini Ret Ret 4 13 5 Ret 4 3 7 9 1 22 12 13 14 13 10 10 16† 5 1 7 147 10 Thed Björk 7 Ret DSQ DSQ 15 45 9 105 Ret 8 Ret 15 7 6 11 14 6 7 1 75 6 22 117 11 Tom Coronel 9 114 15 9 14 72 1 84 Ret DNS3 12 Ret 1 16 7 23 17 14 7 10 12 9 111 12 Hugo Valente 5 7 12 Ret 6 9 Ret 4 6 10 4 73 Ret 9 Ret Ret Ret 13 6 12 Ret Ret 78 13 Fredrik Ekblom NC 10 10 8 4 11 7 11 8 7 13 12 8 6 47 14 James Thompson 16 11 Ret 6 8 64 11 11 9 11 13 12 12 14 10 10 24 15 Néstor Girolami 9 5 12 16 Grégoire Demoustier 10 13 13 12 7 Ret 8 Ret 11 14 16 13 16 12 12 15 17 15 13 17 15 12 11 17 Esteban Guerrieri Ret 65 9 18 John Filippi 12 12 14 10 8 12 Ret 9 Ret 12 11 14 15 14 10 10 14 16 Ret 15 14 13 9 19 Robert Dahlgren 13 Ret 16 16 7 Ret 6 20 Ferenc Ficza DNS DNS Ret DNS DSQ DSQ DSQ DSQ 12 13 15 9 14 15 WD WD 18 18 14 16 13 11 2 21 René Münnich 14 Ret 9 14 2 22 Sabine Schmitz 10 11 1  — Dániel Nagy WD WD 17 Ret 15 17 15 19 15 18 11 15 0  — Ryo Michigami 11 17 0 Pos. Driver FRA SVK HUN MAR GER RUS PRT ARG JPN CHN QAT  Pts.

Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Withdrew (WD) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not participate (DNP) Excluded (EX) Bold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap

† – Drivers did not finish the race, but were classified as they completed over 75% of the race distance.

Championship points were awarded on the results of each race at each event as follows:

Notes

• ^{1 2 3 4 5} refers to the classification of the drivers after the qualifying for the main race (second race), where bonus points are awarded 5–4–3–2–1.

Manufacturers' Championship

Pos.	Manufacturer	FRA			SVK			HUN			MAR			GER			RUS			PRT			ARG			JPN			CHN			QAT			Pts.
		M	R1	R2	M	R1	R2	M	R1	R2	M	R1	R2	M	R1	R2	M	R1	R2	M	R1	R2	M	R1	R2	M	R1	R2	M	R1	R2	M	R1	R2
1	Citroën	1	2	11	1	2	11	2	1	11	1	2	11	2	1	11	2	5	84	1	2	22	2	1	11	1	4	11	Ret	3	11	1	2	11	957
			6	43		5	53		2	2		3	33		5	52		9	105		5	54		3	53		5	22		4	23		4	33
2	Honda	3	1	22	1	1	24	1	10	32	DSQ	DSQ	DSQ	1	3	23	1	6	33	2	6	11	1	2	32	2	1	3	1	2	8	DNP	3	44	675
			3	35		3	45		11	63		DSQ	DSQ		4	4		7	4		8	33		4	44		2	8		9	11		5	55
3	Lada	2	5	54	Ret	4	32	3	3	95	2	4	32	DNP	6	64	3	1	11	3	3	7	3	13	125	3	7	105	2	5	42	DNP	1	7	536
			8	7		11	13		5	13		Ret	45		7	9		2	22		12	9		14	13		10	11		6	55		8	14
4	Volvo	DNP	7	10	DNP	10	8	DNP	4	44	DNP	7	104	DNP	8	75	DNP	13	12	DNP	7	65	DNP	11	14	DNP	6	54	DNP	1	64	DNP	6	22	321
			NC	Ret		DSQ	DSQ		15	11		9	11		Ret	8		Ret	15		13	Ret		16	16		9	7		8	7		7	Ret
Pos.	Manufacturer	FRA			SVK			HUN			MAR			GER			RUS			PRT			ARG			JPN			CHN			QAT			Pts.

Notes

Only the two best placed cars of each manufacturer earned points.

• ^{1 2 3 4 5} refers to the classification of the drivers in the main race qualication, where bonus points are awarded 5–4–3–2–1. Points were only awarded to the fastest two cars from each manufacturer.

In MAC3 points are awarded if 3 cars of the same manufacturer within a 15 seconds gap. MAC3 points were awarded as follows:

WTCC Trophy

WTCC Trophy points are awarded to the first eight drivers classified in each race on the following scale: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1. One point is awarded to the highest-placed WTCC Trophy competitor in qualifying and for another for the fastest lap in each race.

Pos.	Driver	FRA		SVK		HUN		MAR		GER		RUS		PRT		ARG		JPN		CHN		QAT		Pts.
1	Mehdi Bennani	2	8	2	6	1	8	6	5	5	5	9	10	4	8	8	7	16	4	11	3	16	1	190
2	Tom Chilton	11	9	9	7	2	5	5	DSQ	2	3	14	16	2	10	1	8	8	6	Ret	9	2	Ret	155
3	Tom Coronel	9	11	15	9	14	7	1	8	Ret	DNS	12	Ret	1	16	7	2	17	14	7	10	12	9	128
4	James Thompson			16	11			Ret	6			8	6	11	11	9	11	13	12	12	14	10	10	95
5	John Filippi	12	12	14	10	8	12	Ret	9	Ret	12	11	14	15	14	10	10	14	16	Ret	15	14	13	83
6	Grégoire Demoustier	10	13	13	12	7	Ret	8	Ret	11	14	16	13	16	12	12	15	17	15	13	17	15	12	77
7	Ferenc Ficza	DNS	DNS	Ret	DNS	DSQ	DSQ	DSQ	DSQ	12	13	15	9	14	15			18	18	14	16	13	11	45
8	Dániel Nagy	WD	WD									17	Ret	15	17	15	19	15	19	15	18	11	15	22
9	Sabine Schmitz									10	11													12
10	René Münnich	14	Ret			9	14																	11
11	Esteban Guerrieri															Ret	6							9
Pos.	Driver	FRA		SVK		HUN		MAR		GER		RUS		PRT		ARG		JPN		CHN		QAT		Pts.

WTCC Teams' Trophy

All the teams taking part in the championship were eligible to score points towards the Teams' Trophy, with the exception of manufacturer teams, with the first two cars from each team scoring points in each race on the following scale: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1.

Pos	Team	FRA		SVK		HUN		MAR		GER		RUS		PRT		ARG		JPN		CHN		QAT		Pts
1	Sébastien Loeb Racing	2	8	2	6	1	5	5	5	2	3	9	10	2	8	1	7	8	4	11	3	2	1	335
		10	9	9	7	2	8	6	Ret	5	5	14	13	4	10	8	8	16	6	13	9	15	12
2	ROAL Motorsport	9	11	15	9	14	7	1	8	Ret	DNS	12	Ret	1	16	7	2	17	14	7	10	12	9	126
3	ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	14	Ret	16	11	9	14	Ret	6	10	11	8	6	11	11	9	11	13	12	12	14	10	10	119
4	Campos Racing	12	12	14	10	8	12	Ret	9	Ret	12	11	14	15	14	10	6	14	16	Ret	15	14	13	96
																Ret	10
5	Zengő Motorsport	DNS	DNS	Ret	DNS	DSQ	DSQ	DSQ	DSQ	12	13	15	9	14	15	15	19	15	18	14	16	11	11	74
		WD	WD											17	Ret			18	18	15	18	13	15
Pos	Team	FRA		SVK		HUN		MAR		GER		RUS		PRT		ARG		JPN		CHN		QAT		Pts

Regulation changes

The sporting regulations were approved by the FIA, at the December 2015 meeting of the World Motor Sport Council.^[23]

Sporting regulations

• The reverse grid race of the weekend was switched from race two to race one, with the length of race two being increased by one lap.
• A new qualifying time trial format was introduced for manufacturers, titled Manufacturers Against the Clock (MAC3), to be held at the end of the regular three-part qualifying session.
• Compensation weight for the most successful car was increased to 80 kg.

See also

• 2016 European Touring Car Cup

Footnotes

References

External links

• Official website of the World Touring Car Championship