The British Touring Car Championship was gaining popularity heading into 1996. With a round supporting Formula One at the British Grand Prix, all drivers would be on their best behaviour... right?
John Bintcliffe, Silverstone 1996. Image: Audi AG
After Vauxhall's John Cleland clinched his first and only driver's title in 1995, the teams and drivers had a new plan of attack for 1996, with former and future champions on the grid with Cleland - Will Hoy, Alan Menu and Tim Harvey as past champions. James Thompson, Rickard Rydell and Matt Neal were the stars of the future.
The manufacturer's championship was just as stacked for 1996 with Ford, Nissan, Vaxhall, Volvo, BMW, Renault, Audi and Peugeot. This incredible lineup was right in the middle of a golden age of touring car racing known as the Supertouring era. The competition was fierce and it all came to a head at the British Grand Prix support meeting.
It is 1996. Frank Biela had been dominant at the start of the season, winning four of the first six races. However, heading into the British Grand Prix support races at Silverstone, he was without a win since the previous visit to Silverstone's International circuit four race meetings ago.
1996 Champion, Frank Biela. Image Credit: Brian Snelson on Wikimedia Commons for free distribution CC BY 2.0 Deed
Honda's David Leslie would nail qualifying and put his Honda Accord in pole position for both races. Biela and his four-wheel drive Audi Quattro would record the fastest lap in race one, but Italy's Roberto Ravaglia for BMW would take his first and only win of the season.
If you want to watch the first race, this video below will certainly wake you up. Ensure you listen closely when the first onboard is shown for Ravaglia on the first lap... Those straight-cut gears are one of the most iconic sounds in this era of supertouring!
Silverstone 1996 Grand Prix Layout and Modern Layout. Image Credit: RacingCircuits.info
"He obviously didn't like the move I pulled on him, so he sent me grasscutting. Looks like we'll have to get a sponsorship from Flymo." - John Cleland speaking about Alan Menu's divebomb at Luffield.
Skipping forward a handful of years to 2001, Silverstone still had an (almost) identical layout as it did for 1996 - only the previously two-turn Luffield was rounded off to create one long right hander. This version of the track, along with appropriate sponsorship signs, is available within Automobilista 2 as part of the Silverstone DLC.
The 2001 layout of Silverstone, partnered with the V10 Gen 2 class of Formula cars, makes up our Racing Club event scheduled for this Friday, June 28, 2024. This event will be live-streamed on the OverTake.gg Twitch channel, and there are still a handful of spaces available - so if you are a Premium Member and want to get in on the action, get yourself signed up sooner rather than later!
Unfortunately, Automobilista 2 does not have a version of any of the supertouring cars, so recreating the 1996 event is currently not possible. But the F-V10 Gen 2 class (portraying a circa 2000/2001 F1 car) that would have raced at the circuit in period is certainly an exciting substitute. The cars are incredibly difficult to drive quickly, so the live stream should be rather entertaining, whether you are watching or competing!
Looking to the future, I would love to do a supertouring-style event. Especially at a track that holds so much importance to the series. Until Reiza Studios decides to bless Automobilista 2 with supertourers, that dream is a little way off yet. But it is not impossible - and Assetto Corsa has mod versions of the 1999 Volvo S40 BTCC, the 1998 BMW 320i STW-BTCC, and the 1999 Nissan Primera BTCC available here on OverTake for that late 90s Super Touring feeling. Earlier years are covered by the Vauxhall Cavalier BTCC 90/93.
Were you at Silverstone in 1996? What's your favourite era of the circuit? Let us know over on X @OverTake_gg or down in the comments below!
John Bintcliffe, Silverstone 1996. Image: Audi AG
After Vauxhall's John Cleland clinched his first and only driver's title in 1995, the teams and drivers had a new plan of attack for 1996, with former and future champions on the grid with Cleland - Will Hoy, Alan Menu and Tim Harvey as past champions. James Thompson, Rickard Rydell and Matt Neal were the stars of the future.
The manufacturer's championship was just as stacked for 1996 with Ford, Nissan, Vaxhall, Volvo, BMW, Renault, Audi and Peugeot. This incredible lineup was right in the middle of a golden age of touring car racing known as the Supertouring era. The competition was fierce and it all came to a head at the British Grand Prix support meeting.
It is 1996. Frank Biela had been dominant at the start of the season, winning four of the first six races. However, heading into the British Grand Prix support races at Silverstone, he was without a win since the previous visit to Silverstone's International circuit four race meetings ago.
1996 Champion, Frank Biela. Image Credit: Brian Snelson on Wikimedia Commons for free distribution CC BY 2.0 Deed
Honda's David Leslie would nail qualifying and put his Honda Accord in pole position for both races. Biela and his four-wheel drive Audi Quattro would record the fastest lap in race one, but Italy's Roberto Ravaglia for BMW would take his first and only win of the season.
If you want to watch the first race, this video below will certainly wake you up. Ensure you listen closely when the first onboard is shown for Ravaglia on the first lap... Those straight-cut gears are one of the most iconic sounds in this era of supertouring!
The Old Silverstone
The inspiration for this article is actually the track itself. Silverstone is one of the most commonly found tracks in sim racing titles, mainly due to it being the host of the British Grand Prix. Silverstone, like any other circuit, has evolved throughout its time hosting motorsport events. During 1996, it was a very different beast from what it is now.Silverstone 1996 Grand Prix Layout and Modern Layout. Image Credit: RacingCircuits.info
The main difference between the two circuits is the infield section. The sector from Abbey Corner through the Farm Straight heading down towards Bridge has been the host of some of the most controversial moments within the BTCC's few Grand Prix support races. Priory and Luffield follow where then reigning champion Cleland's Vectra met its maker at the hands of a very angry Alan Menu."He obviously didn't like the move I pulled on him, so he sent me grasscutting. Looks like we'll have to get a sponsorship from Flymo." - John Cleland speaking about Alan Menu's divebomb at Luffield.
F-V10 GEN2 at Silverstone 2001, Friday 28th June
Skipping forward a handful of years to 2001, Silverstone still had an (almost) identical layout as it did for 1996 - only the previously two-turn Luffield was rounded off to create one long right hander. This version of the track, along with appropriate sponsorship signs, is available within Automobilista 2 as part of the Silverstone DLC.
The 2001 layout of Silverstone, partnered with the V10 Gen 2 class of Formula cars, makes up our Racing Club event scheduled for this Friday, June 28, 2024. This event will be live-streamed on the OverTake.gg Twitch channel, and there are still a handful of spaces available - so if you are a Premium Member and want to get in on the action, get yourself signed up sooner rather than later!
Unfortunately, Automobilista 2 does not have a version of any of the supertouring cars, so recreating the 1996 event is currently not possible. But the F-V10 Gen 2 class (portraying a circa 2000/2001 F1 car) that would have raced at the circuit in period is certainly an exciting substitute. The cars are incredibly difficult to drive quickly, so the live stream should be rather entertaining, whether you are watching or competing!
Looking to the future, I would love to do a supertouring-style event. Especially at a track that holds so much importance to the series. Until Reiza Studios decides to bless Automobilista 2 with supertourers, that dream is a little way off yet. But it is not impossible - and Assetto Corsa has mod versions of the 1999 Volvo S40 BTCC, the 1998 BMW 320i STW-BTCC, and the 1999 Nissan Primera BTCC available here on OverTake for that late 90s Super Touring feeling. Earlier years are covered by the Vauxhall Cavalier BTCC 90/93.
Were you at Silverstone in 1996? What's your favourite era of the circuit? Let us know over on X @OverTake_gg or down in the comments below!
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