2016 World Touring Car Championship

The 2016 World Touring Car Championship was the thirteenth season of the FIA World Touring Car Championship, and the twelfth since the series was revived in 2005.2016 Sporting regulations – FIA World Touring Car Championship

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 TeamCarDriversRounds Manufacturer entries Lada Sport Rosneft Lada Vesta WTCC 2 Gabriele Tarquini All 7 Hugo Valente All 10 Nick Catsburg All Honda Racing Team JAS Honda Civic WTCC 5 Norbert Michelisz All 34 Ryō Michigami 9 Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team 12 Robert Huff All 18 Tiago Monteiro All Citroën Racing Citroën C-Elysée WTCC 37 José María López All 68 Yvan Muller All Polestar Cyan Racing Volvo S60 Polestar TC1 61 Fredrik Ekblom 1–6, 10 62 Thed Björk All 63 Robert Dahlgren 7–8, 11 81 Néstor Girolami 9 Sébastien Loeb Racing Citroën C-Elysée WTCC 3 Tom Chilton All 11 Grégoire Demoustier All 25 Mehdi Bennani All ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1 8 Sabine Schmitz 5 15 James Thompson 2, 4, 6–11 77 René Münnich 1, 3 ROAL Motorsport Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1 9 Tom Coronel All Campos Racing Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1 27 John Filippi All 86 Esteban Guerrieri 8 Zengő Motorsport Honda Civic WTCC 55 Ferenc Ficza All 99 Dániel Nagy 1, 7–11 ETCC Entries ineligible to score points Super 2000 Zengő Motorsport SEAT León Cup Racer 108 Norbert Nagy 5 Rikli Motorsport Honda Civic TCR 111 Kris Richard 5 112 Peter Rikli 5 Lema Racing SEAT León Cup Racer 114 Igor Stefanovski 5 137 Fábio Mota 5 ASK Lein Racing SEAT León Cup Racer 117 Mladen Lalušić 5 Krenek Motorsport SEAT León Cup Racer 119 Christjohannes Schreiber 5 122 Petr Fulín 5 Sébastien Loeb Racing Peugeot 308 Racing Cup 130 Teddy Clairet 5 138 David Pouget 5 Super 1600 RAVENOL Motorsport Ford Fiesta 1.6 16V 181 Niklas Mackschin 5 182 Ksenia Niks 5 183 Daniel Niermann 5 184 Ulrike Krafft 5 ETH Tuning Peugeot 207 Sport 186 Andreas Rinke 5 187 David Griessner 5 Master KR Racing Ford Fiesta 1.6 16V 195 Sergii Kravets 5 197 Pavlo Kopylets 5

Calendar The provisional 2016 schedule was revealed on 2 December 2015. 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. However, on 9 February 2016, the calendar was adjusted, leaving the Russian round at Moscow in June.

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.

Results and standings

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.

Car Paul Ricard Slovakia Ring Hungaroring Marrakech Nürburgring Moscow Vila Real Termas de Río Hondo Motegi Shanghai Losail Citroën C-Elysée WTCC +80 kg +80 kg +80 kg +80 kg +80 kg +80 kg +80 kg +80 kg +80 kg +80 kg +80 kg Honda Civic WTCC 0 kg 0 kg +70 kg +40 kg +40 kg +30 kg +60 kg +60 kg +80 kg +60 kg +30 kg Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1 0 kg 0 kg 0 kg 0 kg 0 kg 0 kg +10 kg 0 kg +10 kg 0 kg 0 kg Lada Vesta WTCC 0 kg 0 kg +50 kg +30 kg +40 kg +20 kg +70 kg +50 kg +50 kg 0 kg 0 kg Volvo S60 Polestar TC1 0 kg 0 kg 0 kg 0 kg 0 kg 0 kg 0 kg 0 kg 0 kg 0 kg 0 kg

Races Race Race Name Pole Position Fastest lap Winning driver Winning team Winning manufacturer 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 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 Driver FRA SVK HUN MAR GER RUS PRT ARG JPN CHN QAT    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 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 — Ryō Michigami 11 17 0 Driver FRA SVK HUN MAR GER RUS PRT ARG JPN CHN QAT   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:

Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th   9th   10th  Points 25 18 15 12 10 8 6 4 2 1

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 Manufacturer FRA SVK HUN MAR GER RUS PRT ARG JPN CHN QAT    R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 1 Citroën 1 2 11 1 2 11 2 1 11 1 2 11 2 1 11 2 5 84 1 1 22 2 1 11 1 4 11Ret 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 32DNP 6 643 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 444 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 Manufacturer FRA SVK HUN MAR GER RUS PRT ARG JPN CHN QAT   

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 qualification, 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:

Position  1st   2nd   3rd  Points 10 8 6

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.

Driver FRA SVK HUN MAR GER RUS PRT ARG JPN CHN QAT    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 12 14 7 10 12 9 134 4 James Thompson 16 11 Ret 6 8 6 11 11 9 11 13 12 12 14 10 10 93 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 76 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 19 15 19 15 18 11 15 21 9 Sabine Schmitz 10 11 12 10 René Münnich 14 Ret 9 14 11 11 Esteban Guerrieri Ret 6 9 Driver FRA SVK HUN MAR GER RUS PRT ARG JPN CHN QAT   

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.