2002 Alfa Romeo 156 GTA - double ETCC championship winner - Giovanardi+Tarquini
The most successful modern racing works Alfa Romeo - 15x overall race wins, 2x overall European Touring Car Championship wins. Ex-Giovanardi, Tarquini, Farfus.
Chassis 004 was built as a full works car for the 2002 European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) by N.Technology, who were set up to build and manage the worldwide sporting activities of the Fiat Group. To be competitive on the world stage in Touring Cars, companies such as this were often required - as seen with Renault using Williams F1 on the Laguna, Volvo and TWR, Vauxhall and RML, BMW and the McLaren F1 team.
For the 2002 season (the inaugural season of ETCC under S2000 regulations), the Alfa Romeo factory chose star Italian driver Fabrizio Giovanardi to be their number 1 driver in 004. He was hot off the back of winning the ETCC in 2000 and 2001 in the Super Touring 156, so they were gunning for an unprecedented hattrick of ETCC championships with the same model, driver and team.
By the end of the 2002 season, "Gio" and 004 had a staggering nine overall race wins at tracks including Magny Cours x2, Silverstone, Brno x2, Jarama, Enna-Pergusa x2 and Estoril. He also took five pole positions. This was enough to dominate the ETCC, bringing him and the team the overall Driver's and Manufacturer's titles.
On March 5th 2003, forty years after Autodelta was first set up, the company's distinctive triangular logo made a comeback on Alfa Romeo racing cars. Autodelta, first seen on 5 March 1963, made its comeback at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show, with the logo appearing on the Alfa Romeo 156 GTAs due to take part in the European Touring Car Championship that season, including 004.
For the 2003 season, 004 was updated to the first S2000 evo spec (including sequential gearbox) and was assigned to another Italian legend in 1994 BTCC champion (with Alfa), and 78-time Grand Prix starter; Gabriele Tarquini. At the end of the 2003 ETCC season, Tarquini had taken six overall race wins at Barcelona, Enna-Pergusa, Donington, Spa and Estoril x2. Plus one pole. This was enough to take the overall championship by a single point from the works BMW of Jörg Müller.
In July 2003, 004 was one of two cars at a Mugello test for Tarquini and Michael Schumacher, where the Ferrari Formula 1 diver lapped as fast as Tarquini. Although we don't know whether Schumacher drove both cars, there are fantastic pictures of the legend with 004. After the test, Schumacher said "It was a nice experience... I wish to thank Alfa Romeo for giving me this opportunity. The reason for this test was to point out how much Alfa Romeo and Ferrari are close"
For 2004 chassis 004 was assigned to Brazilian Augusto Farfus, for its third and final assault on the ETCC. Although blisteringly fast, including seven podiums (Magny Cours x2, Valencia x2, Imola, Oschersleben x2), three poles, and two fastest laps, Farfus ended up 6th overall in the championship.
During its works life, the car was raced exclusively by the following drivers and here are some of their racing highlights:
Fabrizio Giovanardi - 1986 World Karting Champion, 2000, 2001, 2002 ETCC champion, 2007 and 2008 BTCC champion, 2011 European Touring Car Cup winner, Ferrari Formula 1 test driver.
Gabriele Tarquini - 78-time F1 Grand Prix starts, 1994 BTCC champion, 2003 ETCC champion, 2009 WTCC champion, 2018 World Touring Car Cup Champion.
Augusto Farfus - 2001 European Formula Renault Champion, 2003 F3000 Champion, Multiple ETCC and DTM race winner, 2018 Macau GT winner, 2020 Intercontinental GT Challenge champion, two-time Nurburgring overall winner.
Alfa 156 GTA chassis 004 is without doubt the most successful modern racing works Alfa Romeo, and is also the most successful single S2000 car.
Today the car in totally original to the latest 156 works spec, and ready to use, with a spares package that includes: Gearbox, wheels, dampers, pads, discs, ratios, bodywork, fuelling equipment, driveshafts.
The most successful modern racing works Alfa Romeo would fit into any great car collection, just as a '65 GTA does. An Italian masterpiece with unquestioned and unmatched provenance.
Price: £145,000
