The 1998 Italian Superturismo Championship was the twelfth edition of the Italian Superturismo Championship. The season began in Binetto on 17 May and finished in Vallelunga on 4 October, after ten rounds.

Season summary

The 1998 season started months before into the court between the 2 promoters Salerno Corse (the historical promoter of the serie since 1987) and Sponsor Service who was supported by the 3 manufactures (Alfa, Audi, BMW). After a long discussion after the championship were already started, it was declared that Sponsor Service were the new promoter for the next 3 years.

The first change of Sponsor Service was to pass from the smaller TMC channel to Italian state channel RAI TV. The idea of the new promoter (and manufactures too) was that if the races were on RAI Channel before the start of f1, there would have been better results in term of audience.

So after the first two rounds (Binetto and Imola) without any TV coverage, RAI transmitted live race 1 of Round 3 and 4 in Monza and Varano before that the promoter was stopped again by court. Round 5, 6 and 7 in Vallelunga, Magione and Pergusa were again without any TV coverage before that the final decision from court that assigned definitively the Sponsor Service as new promoters of Italian Superturismo. Due to Rai needs for the last 3 rounds of the season it was also decided to move race 1 on Saturday going live before the f1 qualifying while there would have been a summery on Sunday night about race 2.

Although in terms of audience there was a promising result, the TV coverage in 1998 was a complete disaster compared to the previous years. The most penalised were the private drivers that never as in this year made a big effort to buy competitive cars.

In 1998 it was also decided to copy from STW, adopting a new qualifying system and a new race format. The Super Pole used until 1997 with one single lap for top ten drivers was replaced by 30 minutes of qualifying session. The race format changed from 2 races of 75km into 1 sprint race of 50km and 1 mini endurance race of 100km.

Fabrizio Giovanardi after 5 years where he came always close to the title, finally won the championship, driving the new and immediately competitive Alfa Romeo 156; the Italian manufacturer won also the constructors' championship, while the rookie Fabian Peroni took the privateers' trophy driving an ex official Audi A4 Quattro.

The fight for the Championship was balanced between Giovanardi and Naspetti until round 6 in Magione where the 2 contenders were divided by just 1 point, but in the final part of the Giovanardi scored 6 victories in a row (Pergusa, Misano, Monza) that allowed him to become the new champion before the last round in Vallelunga.

Nicola Larini made his debut in Italian Supertouring after leaving the series in 1992 but due to his limited knowledge of the FWD he was not able to fight for the title although he helped his team mate against BMW and he won the challenge against De Simone for the third place in the final Standing.

Rinaldo Capello remained as the only driver for Audi. He drove for the first time the Audi A4 fwd but the car was not at all competitive due to high tyre degradation specially in the endurance race, with a worse aerodynamic package compared to Alfa and a worse engine power compared to BMW. On the fast tracks Audi A4 never had the same performance of Alfa 156, in the slow tracks Audi was always slower the BMW, Alfa and sometimes also of the ex official Audi A4 Quattro. Only in the last 2 round of the season with the new engine Capello was able to show a promising performance. Unfortunately Audi left officially the Supertouring (in BTCC, STW and Italy) at the end of the season to focus on Le Mans Program.

Teams and drivers Team Car Drivers Rounds Class BMW Italia BMW 320i 1 Emanuele Naspetti All 2 Fabrizio de Simone All 6 Roberto Colciago 8-10 Nordauto Engineering Alfa Romeo 156 3 Fabrizio Giovanardi All 4 Nicola Larini All 7 Antonio Tamburini 9-10 8 Stefano Modena 9 Audi Sport Italia Audi A4 5 Rinaldo Capello All Christy's Team Honda Accord 51 Massimo Pigoli 1-4, 8-10 P Soli Racing Team Audi A4 Quattro 52 Moreno Soli All P Greyhound Motorsport Alfa Romeo 155 TS 53 Gianluca Roda 1-5, 7-9 P AGS Motorsport Audi A4 Quattro 54 Fabian Peroni All P Varese Corse Audi A4 Quattro 55 Davide Bernasconi 1-9 P Italian Promotorsport BMW 320i 56 Sandro Sardelli All P 58 Miguel Ramos All P BMS Scuderia Italia Alfa Romeo 155 TS 59 Christian Pescatori All P 60 Emanuele Moncini All P Lucchetti Racing Opel Vectra 62 Guido Lucchetti Cigarini 3-6, 9-10 P Icon Class P Private Drivers

Drivers changes Changed Cars Fabrizio Giovanardi: Alfa Romeo 155 → Alfa Romeo 156 Rinaldo Capello: Audi A4 Quattro → Audi A4 Antonio Tamburini: Alfa Romeo 155 → Alfa Romeo 156 Roberto Colciago: Honda Accord → BMW 320i Massimo Pigoli: BMW 320i → Honda Accord Moreno Soli: Alfa Romeo 155 → Audi A4 Quattro Gianluca Roda: Opel Vectra 16v → Alfa Romeo 155 Davide Bernasconi: Alfa Romeo 155 → Audi A4 Quattro Sandro Sardelli: Opel Vectra Gt → BMW 320i Emanuele Moncini: Opel Vectra Gt → Alfa Romeo 155

Entering Superturismo 1998 Nicola Larini: F1 → Alfa Romeo 156 Fabian Peroni: Renault Megan Cup → Audi A4 Quattro Miguel Ramos: Portuguese Touring Car Championship → BMW 320i Christian Pescatori: FIA GT Championship → Alfa Romeo 156 Guido Lucchetti Cigarini: No full-time drive → Opel Vectra Gt

Leaving Superturismo 1998 Karl Wendlinger Felice Tedeschi Augusto Rossetti Fabio Severino Sandro Montani Maurizio Lusuardi Stefano Gabellini Lorenzo Falessi Gianni Giudici

Race calendar and results Round Circuit Date Pole position Fastest lap Winning driver Winning team 1 R1 Binetto 17 May Fabrizio de Simone Emanuele Naspetti Fabrizio de Simone CiBiEmme Engineering R2 Emanuele Naspetti Emanuele Naspetti CiBiEmme Engineering 2 R1 Imola 31 May Fabrizio Giovanardi Fabrizio Giovanardi Fabrizio Giovanardi Nordauto Engineering R2 Emanuele Naspetti Fabrizio de Simone CiBiEmme Engineering 3 R1 Monza 28 June Fabrizio Giovanardi Fabrizio Giovanardi Nicola Larini Nordauto Engineering R2 Fabrizio Giovanardi Fabrizio Giovanardi Nordauto Engineering 4 R1 Varano De Melegari 12 July Fabrizio Giovanardi Emanuele Naspetti Emanuele Naspetti CiBiEmme Engineering R2 Emanuele Naspetti Emanuele Naspetti CiBiEmme Engineering 5 R1 Vallelunga 26 July Fabrizio Giovanardi Emanuele Naspetti Emanuele Naspetti CiBiEmme Engineering R2 Emanuele Naspetti Emanuele Naspetti CiBiEmme Engineering 6 R1 Magione 2 August Fabrizio Giovanardi Emanuele Naspetti Fabrizio Giovanardi Nordauto Engineering R2 Fabrizio de Simone Fabrizio de Simone CiBiEmme Engineering 7 R1 Pergusa 30 August Fabrizio Giovanardi Nicola Larini Fabrizio Giovanardi Nordauto Engineering R2 Fabrizio Giovanardi Fabrizio Giovanardi Nordauto Engineering 8 R1 Misano Adriatico 12 September Emanuele Naspetti Fabrizio Giovanardi Fabrizio Giovanardi Nordauto Engineering R2 13 September Fabrizio de Simone Fabrizio Giovanardi Nordauto Engineering 9 R1 Monza 26 September Fabrizio Giovanardi Stefano Modena Fabrizio Giovanardi Nordauto Engineering R2 27 September Fabrizio Giovanardi Fabrizio Giovanardi Nordauto Engineering 10 R1 Vallelunga 3 October Emanuele Naspetti Roberto Colciago Nicola Larini Nordauto Engineering R2 4 October Nicola Larini Nicola Larini Nordauto Engineering

Round 1 Binetto

Qualifying Pos No Driver Car Lap Time Points 1 2 Fabrizio De Simone BMW 320i 50.5372 2 1 Emanuele Naspetti BMW 320i 50.711 3 5 Rinaldo Capello Audi A4 50.736 4 3 Fabrizio Giovanardi Alfa Romeo 156 50.887 5 54 Fabian Peroni Audi A4 Quattro 51.525 6 52 Moreno Soli Audi A4 Quattro 52.120 7 59 Christian Pescatori Alfa Romeo 155 52.325 8 55 Davide Bernasconi Audi A4 Quattro 54.361 9 51 Massimo Pigoli Honda Accord 54.677 10 60 Emanuele Moncini Alfa Romeo 155 55.080 11 53 Gianluca Roda Alfa Romeo 155 55.157 12 58 Miguel Ramos BMW 320i 55.520 13 56 Sandro Sardelli BMW 320i 56.966 14 4 Nicola Larini Alfa Romeo 156 no time

Race 1 Pos No Driver Constructor Time/Retired Points 1 2 Fabrizio De Simone BMW 320i 32 laps in 26:02.23520 2 1 Emanuele Naspetti BMW 320i +12.431s15 3 3 Fabrizio Giovanardi Alfa Romeo 156 +15.234s12 4 54 Fabian Peroni Audi A4 Quattro +17.215s10 5 4 Nicola Larini Alfa Romeo 156 +21.999s8 6 5 Rinaldo Capello Audi A4 +39.251s6 7 52 Moreno Soli Audi A4 Quattro +47.318s4 8 59 Christian Pescatori Alfa Romeo 155 +48.823s3 9 55 Davide Bernasconi Audi A4 Quattro +49.806s2 10 60 Emanuele Moncini Alfa Romeo 155 +1 lap1 11 56 Sandro Sardelli BMW 320i +1 lap 12 51 Massimo Pigoli Honda Accord +1 lap 13 53 Gianluca Roda Alfa Romeo 155 +2 laps DNF 58 Miguel Ramos BMW 320i +9 laps

Race 2 Pos No Driver Constructor Time/Retired Points 1 1 Emanuele Naspetti BMW 320i 61 laps in 52:41.10540 2 3 Fabrizio Giovanardi Alfa Romeo 156 +3.100s30 3 4 Nicola Larini Alfa Romeo 156 +13.526s24 4 5 Rinaldo Capello Audi A4 +21.852s20 5 59 Christian Pescatori Alfa Romeo 155 +1.04.292s16 6 52 Moreno Soli Audi A4 Quattro +1.11.862s12 7 55 Davide Bernasconi Audi A4 Quattro +1.19.246s8 8 60 Emanuele Moncini Alfa Romeo 155 +1.23.314s6 9 DNF 58 Miguel Ramos BMW 320i +6 laps4 10 DNF 54 Fabian Peroni Audi A4 Quattro +18 laps2 DNF 53 Gianluca Roda Alfa Romeo 155 +18 laps DNF 2 Fabrizio De Simone BMW 320i +61 laps DNF 51 Massimo Pigoli Honda Accord +61 laps DNF 56 Sandro Sardelli BMW 320i +61 laps

Championship standings after Round 1

Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Emanuele Naspetti 55 2 Fabrizio Giovanardi 42 3 Nicola Larini 32 4 Rinaldo Capello 26 5 Fabrizio De Simone 22

Constructors' Championship standings Pos Constructor Points 1 Alfa Romeo 93 2 BMW 79 3 Audi 60

Round 2 Imola

Qualifying Pos No Driver Car Lap Time Points 1 3 Fabrizio Giovanardi Alfa Romeo 156 1.55.9082 2 1 Emanuele Naspetti BMW 320i 1.56.097 3 2 Fabrizio De Simone BMW 320i 1.56.627 4 59 Christian Pescatori Alfa Romeo 155 1.58.444 5 56 Sandro Sardelli BMW 320i 1.58.833 6 54 Fabian Peroni Audi A4 Quattro 1.59.142 7 60 Emanuele Moncini Alfa Romeo 155 1.59.192 8 53 Gianluca Roda Alfa Romeo 155 1.59.550 9 58 Miguel Ramos BMW 320i 2.00.136 10 55 Davide Bernasconi Audi A4 Quattro 2.00.358 11 52 Moreno Soli Audi A4 Quattro 2.01.268 12 4 Nicola Larini Alfa Romeo 156 2.01.401 13 5 Rinaldo Capello Audi A4 2.08.333 14 51 Massimo Pigoli Honda Accord no time

Race 1 Pos No Driver Constructor Time/Retired Points 1 3 Fabrizio Giovanardi Alfa Romeo 156 11 laps in 21:40.20820 2 2 Fabrizio De Simone BMW 320i +0.381s15 3 1 Emanuele Naspetti BMW 320i +9.078s12 4 4 Nicola Larini Alfa Romeo 156 +12.207s10 5 56 Sandro Sardelli BMW 320i +25.555s8 6 5 Rinaldo Capello Audi A4 +26.937s6 7 59 Christian Pescatori Alfa Romeo 155 +29.174s4 8 54 Fabian Peroni Audi A4 Quattro +30.168s3 9 60 Emanuele Moncini Alfa Romeo 155 +37.221s2 10 55 Davide Bernasconi Audi A4 Quattro +40.101s1 11 51 Massimo Pigoli Honda Accord +42.969 12 58 Miguel Ramos BMW 320i +43.187s 13 52 Moreno Soli Audi A4 Quattro +44.944s 14 53 Gianluca Roda Alfa Romeo 155 +2 laps

Race 2 Pos No Driver Constructor Time/Retired Points 1 2 Fabrizio De Simone BMW 320i 21 laps in 41:19.66440 2 1 Emanuele Naspetti BMW 320i +0.449s30 3 3 Fabrizio Giovanardi Alfa Romeo 156 +1.544s24 4 4 Nicola Larini Alfa Romeo 156 +9.795s20 5 5 Rinaldo Capello Audi A4 +28.310s16 6 56 Sandro Sardelli BMW 320i +53.250s12 7 54 Fabian Peroni Audi A4 Quattro +57.369s8 8 59 Christian Pescatori Alfa Romeo 155 +59.075s6 9 52 Moreno Soli Audi A4 Quattro +1.22.701s4 10 55 Davide Bernasconi Audi A4 Quattro +1.38.142s2 11 53 Gianluca Roda Alfa Romeo 155 +1.56.874s 12 58 Miguel Ramos BMW 320i +1 lap 13 60 Emanuele Moncini Alfa Romeo 155 +2 laps DNS 51 Massimo Pigoli Honda Accord

Championship standings after Round 2

Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Emanuele Naspetti 97 2 Fabrizio Giovanardi 88 3 Fabrizio De Simone 77 4 Nicola Larini 62 5 Rinaldo Capello 48

Constructors' Championship standings