Maserati MC12#Racing
The Maserati MC12 GT1 is a Gran Turismo racing cars of the group based on the Maserati MC12 GT1.
Development
The development of the Maserati MC12 GT1 began after the acquisition of Maserati by Ferrari. Ferrari Maserati commissioned in order to construct a racing car, which would be eligible to start in the FIA GT Championship. In contrast to most other racing car in the FIA GT Championship, which are usually further developments of road-going sports car, the MC12 was specifically designed for use in motorsport. The 50 vehicles built the road-going version should only be used for homologation. Due to the fact that the very street-legal Maserati MC12 was a very radical concept, Maserati had designated for his original Maserati Corse Competizione race car more technical freedom than his fellow. Andrea Bertolini led as chief test driver many tests with the Maserati MC12 GT1 through at the Circuito di Fiorano. Some tests were also completed by Michael Schumacher.
Racing history
FIA GT Championship
In 2004 Maserati introduced three Maserati MC12 for the GT1 class of the FIA GT Championship finished. The factory-supported team AF Corse applied during the season at Imola for the first time two Maserati MC12 at the start, but the vehicles were not entitled to points, as the homologation still outstanding. Nevertheless, the vehicles could reach the same places in their maiden race two and three. At the next race in Oschersleben Andrea Bertolini and Mika Salo drove a first win on the Maserati MC12. Before the last race of the season in Zhuhai, the vehicle finally received its homologation. Since the Maserati MC12 finished the race with a double victory, AF Corse scored enough points to get in the team standings to seventh place, although only one race eventually applied in the standings.
In the season 2005 Maserati won the Manufacturers' Championship. This Maserati scored on his first full season in the FIA GT Championship, almost twice as many points as Ferrari, the two producer. The team Vitaphone Racing and JMB Racing Maserati MC12 occurred in 2005 to the championship. They closed the season in positions one and two in the team standings from where Vitaphone won with a clear lead. Before the last race in Bahrain still four Maserati drivers were in a promising position on the drivers' championship: Karl Wendlinger and Andrea Bertolini with 71 points and Timo Scheider and Michael Bartels with 70 points. Keeps up with the latter was also Ferrari driver Gabriele Gardel. In the deciding race he had with his older Ferrari 550 -GTS Maranello Maserati both behind and crossed the finish line first. This Gardel secured with four points ahead of Scheider and Bartels the championship.
2006 Vitaphone Racing was the only team with a Maserati MC12 in the FIA GT Championship at the start. The team won the team title ahead of schedule. Michael Bartels and Andrea Bertolini divided into first place in the drivers' standings. Only in the manufacturers' championship Maserati had to admit defeat against Aston Martin, although significantly more teams put on a brand Aston Martin.
Vitaphone Racing won again in 2007, the team standings. In second place followed by the Scuderia Play team Sara Free another Maserati team. JMB Racing also brought back two Maserati MC12 at the start, which were controlled by amateur racers who competed in the Citation Cup. This could JMB- pilot Ben Aucott decide for themselves. The Manufacturers 'Championship, now went back with a clear lead of Maserati, while Thomas Biagi of Play team won the drivers' championship. The colleagues of Vitaphone, Miguel Ramos and Christian Montanari tied for sixth place teams play Andrea Bertolini and Andrea Piccini were placed directly behind it.
2008 Vitaphone Racing Maserati MC12 played with two for Andrea Bertolini and Michael Bartels, and Miguel Ramos and Alexandre Negrao the FIA GT Championship. The season ended for Vitaphone with another win in the team standings, while Bertolini and Bartels decided the drivers' championship for themselves. When running in Zolder, the team used a third vehicle under the name Team Vita system. Pedro Lamy and Matteo Bobbi achieved so a point. JMB Racing took a single Maserati MC12 for Ben Aucott, Peter and Alain Ferté Kutemann still participate in the first five races of the season.
In the 2009 season Vitaphone Racing Maserati MC12 won with his fifth title in the team championship in a row, while Andrea Bertolini and Michael Bartels gained their third drivers' title. Miguel Ramos and Alexander Müller in the second Vitaphone Maserati joined the Season starting in eighth place. From the fourth race also a third vehicle under the name Vitaphone Racing Team DHL was used. Its rider Matteo Bobbi and Alessandro Pier Guidi won the last race of the season at Zolder. Although only a single vehicle for the Vitaphone Racing Team DHL collected points, which also only played part of the season, the team was able to reach the fourth place in the team standings.
Italian GT Championship
The Maserati MC12 also had the Italian motorsport success. In the 2005 season Maserati MC12 held two in the Italian GT Championship, which were used by the Scuderia Play team Racing Box. The teams finished in positions one and three in the championship. The vehicles remained the championship also get 2006 when Scuderia Play team was able to defend his title and Racing Box aufrückte in second place. Since 2007, the group GT1 cars in the Italian GT Championship are no longer permitted. Scuderia Play team changed therefore in the FIA GT Championship.
Racing Box also took two times not to the championship scoring some 6- hour race at Vallelunga. This team won the 2005 Michele Rugolo, Leonardo Maddalena and Davide Mastracci. The following year the success with Pedro Lamy, Marco Cioci and Piergiuseppe Perazzini could be repeated.
Super GT
2006 planned the Team Goh, use a Maserati MC12 in the Japanese Super GT series. The team had his plan, however, give up ill as driver Jan Magnussen and returned to Denmark, and due to disappointing lap times in testing at Suzuka. Although the Maserati MC12 was on the straights faster than the competitors with Super GT cars, but he still lost over a second per lap due to poorer aerodynamics.
American Le Mans Series
In 2004, the Maserati 2004 could not participate in racing series that were organized by the Automobile Club de l' Ouest, to include the 24 - hour race at Le Mans, the Le Mans Endurance Series and the American Le Mans Series. This was due to the fact that the Maserati MC12 exceeded the maximum permissible length and width for vehicles in its class. When trying to adapt the vehicle to the regulations, the front was shortened by 200 millimeters, but the vehicle was 66 millimeters wide. 2005 allowed the governing body of the American Le Mans Series, the International Motor Sports Association to let the Maserati MC12 still participate. However, the vehicles were not entitled to points and they were provided with additional weights. Some of the teams of the American Le Mans Series initially protested against the participation of the Maserati MC12, but ultimately the race participation has been granted the vehicle. However, the Automobile Club de l' Ouest maintained its decision to exclude the vehicle from the Le Mans Endurance Series.
A single Maserati MC12 was created in 2005 under the naming Maserati Corse of Risi Competizione in the American Le Mans Series. However, the team had little success and it did not succeed in winning the race. A low point had Risi Competizione finally the season finale at Laguna Seca, as a competitor caused a collision with the Maserati and thereby forced a lengthy pit stop. After the race was restarted, the vehicle had to struggle with traction problems due cooled tires. Therefore, the Maserati touched a curb, causing the radiator broke and Risi Competizione, the vehicle consequently had to withdraw from the race.
In August 2007, Fredy Lienhard and Didier Theys announced to prepare a Maserati MC12, which came earlier in the FIA GT Championship used for racing in the American Le Mans Series. The vehicle used Doran Racing debuted at Road America, where it reached third place in its class. Another application had the Maserati MC12 to Road Atlanta during the Petit Le Mans, which, however, the team could not finish due to an accident. Nevertheless, it was still counted in second place in its class. Before the race Doran Racing has qualified his car on pole position of the GT1 class. The team used instead of the Michelin Pirelli tires, which two years before the Maserati of Risi Competizione was equipped. In addition, Doran Racing used a wider, but flatter rear wing as Risi Competizione and the teams of the FIA GT Championship. The International Motor Sports Association allowed Doran Racing Maserati became the first team in the American Le Mans Series, finally, to achieve championship points. Doran Racing ended the season due to lack of competition in second place in the team standings.