# 1996 German Formula Three Championship

The 1996 German Formula Three Championship (German: 1996 Deutsche Formel-3-Meisterschaft) was the 22nd edition of the German Formula Three Championship. It commenced on 14 April 1996 and ended on 13 October. Italian driver Jarno Trulli won the title with six wins for the Swiss Opel Team KMS Benetton Formula.

## Teams and drivers

1996 Entry List :
| Team | No. | Driver | Chassis | Engine | Rounds |
| Class A ||||||
| Opel Team KMS Benetton Formula | 1 | Jarno Trulli | Dallara 396 | Opel | All |
| Opel Team KMS Benetton Formula | 2 | Tim Bergmeister | Dallara 396 | Opel | 1–5 |
| Opel Team KMS Benetton Formula | 2 | Rui Águas | Dallara 396 | Opel | 6–8 |
| Opel Team BSR | 3 | Nick Heidfeld | Dallara 395 | Opel | All |
| Opel Team BSR | 4 | Marcel Tiemann | Dallara 396 | Opel | All |
| Opel Team BSR | 5 | Arnd Meier | Dallara 395 | Opel | All |
| Marko RSM | 6 | Rui Águas | Dallara 395 | Alfa Romeo | 1–2 |
| Marko RSM | 7 | Oliver Tichy | Dallara 395 | Alfa Romeo | 1–2 |
| Opel Team GM Motorsport | 8 | Manuel Gião | Dallara 396 | Opel | All |
| Opel Team GM Motorsport | 9 | Sascha Bert | Dallara 395 | Opel | 1–7 |
| Opel Team GM Motorsport | 10 | Steffen Widmann | Dallara 395 | Opel | All |
| Josef Kaufmann Racing | 11 | Wolf Henzler | Martini MK73 | Opel | All |
| Abt & Trella Motorsport | 14 | Tobias Schlesinger | Dallara 395 | Opel | 7–8 |
| Abt & Trella Motorsport | 15 | Christian Menzel | Dallara 395 | Opel | All |
| Abt & Trella Motorsport | 16 | Dirk Müller | Dallara 395 | Opel | 2–5 |
| Hofmann Motorsport | 14 | Gianantonio Pacchioni | Dallara 395 | Opel | 3–5 |
| Hofmann Motorsport | 16 | Dirk Müller | Dallara 395 | Opel | 6 |
| Hofmann Motorsport | 17 | Emmanuel Clérico | Dallara 395 | Opel | 2–6 |
| Tokmakidis Motorsport | 18 | Max Wilson | Dallara 395 | Opel | 1–2 |
| Tokmakidis Motorsport | 18 | Rui Águas | Dallara 395 | Opel | 3–5 |
| Tokmakidis Motorsport | 18 | Tim Bergmeister | Dallara 395 | Opel | 6–7 |
| Tokmakidis Motorsport | 18 | Jarosław Wierczuk | Dallara 395 | Opel | 8 |
| Tokmakidis Motorsport | 19 | John Barlow | Dallara 395 | Opel | 1 |
| Tokmakidis Motorsport | 19 | Markus Friesacher | Dallara 395 | Opel | 2–5 |
| Tokmakidis Motorsport | 19 | Richard Westbrook | Dallara 395 | Opel | 6–8 |
| Parma Motorsport | 21 | Markus Friesacher | Dallara 396 | Alfa Romeo | 1 |
| Parma Motorsport | 22 | Vincent Vosse | Dallara 396 | Alfa Romeo | 1–2 |
| Parma Motorsport | 25 | Tim Verbergt | Dallara 395 | Fiat | 6–8 |
| Prema Powerteam | 23 | André Couto | Dallara 396 | Fiat | All |
| Prema Powerteam | 24 | Max Wilson | Dallara 395 | Fiat | 3–6 |
| MB Racing/Autoclub Excelsior | 25 | Tim Wergebt | Dallara 395 | Fiat | 1–5 |
| Westwood Racing | 30 | Klaus Graf | Dallara 395 | Toyota | 1–4 |
| Class B ||||||
| TKF Racing | 50 | Philipp Sager | Dallara 394 | Opel | 1–7 |
| TKF Racing | 51 | Dominik Schwager | Dallara 394 | Opel | 1-5 |
| TKF Racing | 51 | Luciano Crespi | Dallara 394 | Opel | 6–8 |
| IPS Motorsport | 52 | Johan Stureson | Dallara 394 | Opel | All |
| Franz Wöss Racing | 53 | Jarosław Wierczuk | Dallara 393 | Opel | 1–7 |
| Franz Wöss Racing | 53 | Georg Holzer | Dallara 396 | Alfa Romeo | 8 |
| Franz Wöss Racing | 54 | Tobias Schlesinger | Dallara 393 | Opel | 1–5 |
| Franz Wöss Racing | 54 | Christoph Fuchs | Dallara 396 | Alfa Romeo | 8 |
| Franz Wöss Racing | 63 | Florian Schnitzenbaumer | Dallara 396 | Alfa Romeo | 8 |
| Divinol Oils | 55 | Mario Münch | Dallara 394 | Opel | All |
| JB Racing | 56 | Yves Olivier | Dallara 394 | Opel | All |
| Grand Prix Foundation | 60 | Dietmar Frischmann | Dallara 393 | Fiat | 2–3 |
| Ingo Gerstl | 65 | Ingo Gerstl | Dallara 393 | Opel | 6 |

## Race calendar and results

* The series supported the International Touring Car Championship at seven rounds, with additional round at the European Grand Prix. With the exception of round at Magny-Cours in France, all rounds took place on German soil.
| Round | Round | Circuit | Date | Pole Position | Fastest Lap | Winning driver | Winning team | B Class Winner |
| 1 | R1 | Hockenheimring | 13 April | Jarno Trulli | not recorded | Jarno Trulli | Opel Team KMS Benetton Formula | Dominik Schwager |
| 1 | R2 | Hockenheimring | 14 April | Jarno Trulli | Jarno Trulli | Jarno Trulli | Opel Team KMS Benetton Formula | Dominik Schwager |
| 2 | R | Nürburgring | 27 April | Jarno Trulli | Arnd Meier | Arnd Meier | Opel Team BSR | Johan Stureson |
| 3 | R1 | Nürburgring | 11 May | Rui Águas | Nick Heidfeld | Dirk Müller | Abt & Trella Motorsport | Yves Olivier |
| 3 | R2 | Nürburgring | 12 May | Dirk Müller | Rui Águas | Marcel Tiemann | Opel Team BSR | Johan Stureson |
| 4 | R1 | Norisring | 22 June | Rui Águas | Marcel Tiemann | Rui Águas | Tokmakidis Motorsport | Dominik Schwager |
| 4 | R2 | Norisring | 23 June | Rui Águas | Rui Águas | Jarno Trulli | Opel Team KMS Benetton Formula | Dominik Schwager |
| 5 | R1 | Diepholz Airfield Circuit | 6 July | Jarno Trulli | Wolf Henzler | Max Wilson | Prema Powerteam | Dominik Schwager |
| 5 | R2 | Diepholz Airfield Circuit | 7 July | Max Wilson | Emmanuel Clérico | Jarno Trulli | Opel Team KMS Benetton Formula | Dominik Schwager |
| 6 | R1 | Nürburgring | 31 August | Nick Heidfeld | Nick Heidfeld | Nick Heidfeld | Opel Team BSR | Johan Stureson |
| 6 | R2 | Nürburgring | 1 September | Nick Heidfeld | Nick Heidfeld | Nick Heidfeld | Opel Team BSR | Johan Stureson |
| 7 | R1 | Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours | 14 September | Jarno Trulli | Nick Heidfeld | Nick Heidfeld | Opel Team BSR | Johan Stureson |
| 7 | R2 | Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours | 15 September | Nick Heidfeld | Nick Heidfeld | Arnd Meier | Opel Team BSR | Yves Olivier |
| 8 | R1 | Hockenheimring | 12 October | Jarno Trulli | Rui Águas | Jarno Trulli | Opel Team KMS Benetton Formula | Johan Stureson |
| 8 | R2 | Hockenheimring | 13 October | Jarno Trulli | Nick Heidfeld | Jarno Trulli | Opel Team KMS Benetton Formula | Johan Stureson |

## Championship standings
### A-Class

* Points are awarded as follows:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 20 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |

### B-Class

* Points are awarded as follows:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 9 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Pos | Driver | HOC1 | HOC1 | NÜR1 | NÜR2 | NÜR2 | NOR | NOR | DIE | DIE | NÜR3 | NÜR3 | MAG | MAG | HOC2 | HOC2 | Pts |
| Class A ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Jarno Trulli | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 206 |
| 2 | Arnd Meier | 3 | Ret | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 | Ret | 5 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 159 |
| 3 | Nick Heidfeld | 6 | Ret | 2 | 4 | 4 | Ret | 3 | Ret | 11 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 4 | 138 |
| 4 | Marcel Tiemann | 2 | Ret | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 8 | NC | Ret | 12 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 115 |
| 5 | Manuel Gião | 5 | Ret | 7 | 5 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 92 |
| 6 | Rui Águas | 14 | 9 | DNS | Ret | 7 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 87 |
| 7 | Christian Menzel | 7 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 20† | 16 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 82 |
| 8 | Dominik Schwager | 4 | 2 | 14 | 14 | 20† | 8 | 6 | 8 | 4 | | | | | | | 47 |
| 9 | Steffen Widmann | Ret | 10 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 7 | DNS | 12 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 18 | Ret | 44 |
| 10 | Max Wilson | 13 | 5 | 15 | 19 | Ret | Ret | 19† | 1 | 6 | 17 | Ret | | | | | 34 |
| 11 | Wolf Henzler | 10 | 3 | 9 | 11 | Ret | 12 | 8 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 6 | Ret | 5 | Ret | 33 |
| 12 | Dirk Müller | | | Ret | 1 | 3 | 16 | Ret | 18 | 13 | DNS | DNS | | | | | 32 |
| 13 | André Couto | Ret | 11 | 8 | 16 | 21† | 10 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 17 | 12 | Ret | 27 |
| 14 | Tim Verbergt | 12 | 13 | Ret | 13 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Ret | Ret | 14 | 16 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 27 |
| 15 | Emmanuel Clérico | | | 12 | 8 | 18† | 15† | 9 | 2 | 7 | DNS | DNS | | | | | 24 |
| 16 | Johan Stureson | Ret | 17 | 11 | 21 | 10 | 13 | DNS | 15 | 18 | 6 | 9 | 8 | Ret | 9 | 9 | 16 |
| 17 | Tim Bergmeister | 11 | 6 | Ret | 15 | Ret | DNQ | DNQ | DNS | DNS | 9 | 8 | 14 | 13 | | | 11 |
| 18 | Sascha Bert | 15 | 8 | 10 | Ret | 9 | 14 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 9 | Ret | | | 9 |
| 19 | Oliver Tichy | 8 | 7 | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 |
| 20 | Yves Olivier | 16 | 16 | 20 | 9 | 19† | Ret | 18 | 17 | 19 | 10 | Ret | 13 | 8 | 13 | 10 | 7 |
| 21 | Richard Westbrook | | | | | | | | | | 11 | 11 | 17 | 12 | 6 | 13† | 6 |
| 22 | Gianantonio Pacchioni | | | | 12 | Ret | 6 | Ret | Ret | Ret | | | | | | | 6 |
| 23 | Luciano Crespi | | | | | | | | | | 18 | 15 | 19 | 9 | 10 | Ret | 3 |
| 24 | Klaus Graf | 9 | 14 | 13 | 18 | DNS | Ret | 14 | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| 25 | Markus Friesacher | Ret | 18 | 18 | 20 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 10 | 15 | | | | | | | 1 |
| 26 | Mario Münch | 18 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 18 | 13 | 11 | Ret | 16 | 13 | 19 | Ret | DSQ | DSQ | 0 |
| 27 | Florian Schnitzenbaumer | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14 | 11 | 0 |
| 28 | Tobias Schlesinger | Ret | 19 | 17 | Ret | 13 | 19† | 15 | 12 | 17 | | | 15 | 14 | Ret | Ret | 0 |
| 29 | Georg Holzer | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 19† | 12 | 0 |
| 30 | Philipp Sager | 21† | 15 | 22 | 23 | 15 | Ret | 17 | Ret | 20 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 15 | | | 0 |
| 31 | Jarosław Wierczuk | 17 | Ret | 19 | 24† | 22† | DNQ | DNQ | Ret | 21 | 20 | 18 | Ret | 16 | 15 | Ret | 0 |
| 32 | Dietmar Frischmann | | | 21 | 22 | 17 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 33 | Christoph Fuchs | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17 | Ret | 0 |
| 34 | Vincent Vosse | 19 | 20 | 23 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 35 | Ingo Gerstl | | | | | | | | | | 21 | 19 | | | | | 0 |
| 36 | John Barlow | 20 | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| Class B ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Johan Stureson | Ret | 17 | 11 | 21 | 10 | 13 | DNS | 15 | 18 | 6 | 9 | 8 | Ret | 9 | 9 | 81 |
| 2 | Dominik Schwager | 4 | 2 | 14 | 14 | 20† | 8 | 6 | 8 | 4 | | | | | | | 66 |
| 3 | Yves Olivier | 16 | 16 | 20 | 9 | 19† | Ret | 18 | 17 | 19 | 10 | Ret | 13 | 8 | 13 | 10 | 58 |
| 4 | Mario Münch | 18 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 18 | 13 | 11 | Ret | 16 | 13 | 19 | Ret | DSQ | DSQ | 50 |
| 5 | Tobias Schlesinger | Ret | 19 | 17 | Ret | 13 | 19† | 15 | 12 | 17 | | | 15 | 14 | Ret | Ret | 27 |
| 6 | Philipp Sager | 21† | 15 | 22 | 23 | 15 | Ret | 17 | Ret | 20 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 15 | | | 26 |
| 7 | Luciano Crespi | | | | | | | | | | 18 | 15 | 19 | 9 | 10 | Ret | 26 |
| 8 | Jarosław Wierczuk | 17 | Ret | 19 | 24† | 22† | DNQ | DNQ | Ret | 21 | 20 | 18 | Ret | 16 | 15 | Ret | 13 |
| 9 | Florian Schnitzenbaumer | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14 | 11 | 7 |
| 10 | Georg Holzer | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 19† | 12 | 4 |
| 11 | Dietmar Frischmann | | | 21 | 22 | 17 | | | | | | | | | | | 4 |
| 12 | Christoph Fuchs | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17 | Ret | 2 |
| 13 | Ingo Gerstl | | | | | | | | | | 21 | 19 | | | | | 1 |
| Pos | Driver | HOC1 | HOC1 | NÜR1 | NÜR2 | NÜR2 | NOR | NOR | DIE | DIE | NÜR3 | NÜR3 | MAG | MAG | HOC2 | HOC2 | Pts |
| Colour | Result |
| Gold | Winner |
| Silver | Second place |
| Bronze | Third place |
| Green | Points finish |
| Blue | Non-points finish |
| Blue | Non-classified finish (NC) |
| Purple | Retired (Ret) |
| Red | Did not qualify (DNQ) |
| Red | Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) |
| Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White | Did not start (DNS) |
| White | Withdrew (WD) |
| White | Race cancelled (C) |
| Blank | Did not practice (DNP) |
| Blank | Did not arrive (DNA) |
| Blank | Excluded (EX) |
† — Drivers did not finish the race, but were classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance.