Sunday, August 26, 2012

Video: The Return of the Four Rings - Audi 1996 BTCC


By Johan Laubscher

The 1996 British Touring Car Championship was headlined by the return of Audi to British saloon car racing, and the subsequent quattro domination. Quattro took the world by storm in 1996, taking seven national Super Touring titles: Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Belgium, South Africa and Great Britain. Leading the 1996 British Audi effort was the 1995 World Champion, Frank Biela. In their first year back in British saloon type racing since 1981 and the silver machines from Audi dominated the series. Despite heavy penalties during the season, the cars from Audi, armed with four wheel drive, soldiered on towards the triple-crown (drivers, teams and manufactures titles).


Audi Sport UK produced an excellent documentary which covered the entire 1996 season. It was aptly titled: The Return of the Four Rings. The video was produced and distributed after the end of the 1996 season. It is a brilliant documentary which provides great insight into the 1996 Audi Sport UK BTCC campaign.