Two Maserati MC12s will start from the front row at tomorrow’s Spa 24 Hour, one of the most famous ‘Classic Endurance’ motor races. The event is the sixth round of the FIA GT championship.

A Trident GT has occupied a top spot in every session of qualifying held since Thursday: free practice and the three official qualifying sessions, including those disputed yesterday night. It is a fine showing and re-enforced by the other MC12 that took a place on the third row with the fifth fastest time.

It was a clear demonstration of the MC12’s competitiveness. The Maserati preceded the Aston Martins, the Corvettes, the Ferrari 550, the 575 and the Saleen. The Trident now holds a firm lead in the Constructors’ Cup.

Pole was taken by Michael Bartels in the first of the Vitaphone Racing Team MC12s. He set the time in the first of yesterday evening’s sessions, run when the track was dry. He was the only driver to duck under the two minute and fifteen second barrier, bettering the circuit record. The German was obviously satisfied, but it is only the beginning: “It is the first pole position the team has taken this year and we are very pleased as the level of competition is very high. Pole is only the first step towards winning the race. It is very long and anything can happen, mechanical or otherwise. The weather, for example, is very changeable. It will be very important to be consistent and to not commit any errors. I am hopeful as we have a good car”.

Bartels will be racing alongside his country mate Timo Scheider and the Belgian Eric Van de Poele, a fast and skilful driver who knows the circuit extremely well. The Vitaphone Racing Team currently holds the lead in the team championship.

The second best time was set by the JMB Racing MC12 with Andrea Bertolini, Karl Wendlinger and Philippe Peter on board. Bertolini and Wendlinger currently hold second spot in the general classification. Double points will be awarded for the Belgian race, significant for the championship.

Andrea Bertolini was the man responsible for the fast lap: “I am very happy to be on the front row in such a respected race as Spa. I am really proud. Unfortunately there was traffic out on the circuit during my fast lap but I still managed to set a good time. We worked a lot with the team and the Pirelli technicians in order to find the right balance. This will allow us to be consistent during the race. We are a well-suited team as Karl and Philippe drive in similar ways. In the final session with ran-in the new engine and gearbox ahead of tomorrow’s race”.

Fabio Babini/Thomas Biagi and the Englishman Jamie Davies will partner the Italian this time out. They were just as fast and set the fifth quickest time in the second Vitaphone MC12. They too are in a good position for tomorrow.

The fourth MC12 in the race, the JMB Racing car, is entrusted to an untried Dutch crew made up of the brothers Robert and Arjan van der Zwaan and Peter Kutemann. They set the thirteenth fastest qualifying time.

The Maserati Light will also be competing in the 24 Hour to be driven by Gianni Giudici, Diego Romanini and Raffaele Raimondi. The car usually appears in the Italian GT championship. The crew set the tenth fastest time in the G2 category and the thirty-second overall. It was a good result as the car is closely derived from a standard roadgoing model.

In the FIA GT, as in the North American ALMS series, the MC12s will race exclusively in Pirelli Racing P Zero tyres. This collaboration is further evidence of the track success of the Maserati and Pirelli partnership. The Trofeo Light is also fitted with Pirelli tyres.

The 24 Hour starts at 16.00 tomorrow and ends at the same time tomorrow. The race will be transmitted live on Eurosport 2 and Eurosport while SportItalia will broadcast the first hour of the race and the final hour on Sunday.

RACE - 24 Hours

No 9 - E.Van de Poele/M.Bartels/T.Scheider (Vitaphone Racing Team - chassis n. 02/15439)
1st Place - 576 laps in 24.00.34.160

No 15 A.Bertolini/K.Wendlinger/P.Peter (JMB Racing - chassis n. 08/15444)
5th Place - 1 lap down

No 10 F.Babini/T.Biagi/J.Davies (Vitaphone Racing Team - chassis n. 07/15443)
retired

No 16 R.van der Zwaan/A.van der Zwaan/P.Kutemann (JMB Racing - chassis n. 04/15441)
retired

No 107 G.Giudici/D.Romanini/R.Raimondi (Trofeo Light-Team Giudici)
25th Place - 8th in category G2)

Weather: variable; wet and dry track

Circuit length: 6,968 m

Maserati scored a historic one-two finish in the Spa 24 Hour. It was the first time the MC12 had competed in a race of this type. The only other similar event disputed by the car was the 12 Hours of Sebring last March when the MC12 came 5th in the GT1 class. The last time a Maserati won an International Endurance race was in 1957 when the 450S took the 12 Hours of Sebring with Fangio/Behra at the wheel. The Vitaphone Racing Team's number 9 MC12, with Michael Bartels, Timo Scheider and the Belgian Eric Van de Poele in the driving seat, dominated the Ardennes race and sixth round of the FIA GT championship. Behind them came Andrea Bertolini, Karl Wendlinger and Philippe Peter in the number 15 JMB Racing MC12. The two MC12s thus finished in the top two places and were also quickest in qualifying. Fabio Babini, Thomas Biagi and Jamie Davies were unlucky in their number 10 car. They were forced to retire with a transmission problem halfway through the race when holding a podium place.

The two MC12s crossed the line ahead of the 550 driven by Gardel/Bouchut/Mollekens/Vosse, and the Corvette C5R with Hezemans/Kumpen/Longin/Bleekmolen in the driving seat. The crew of the JMB Racing number 16 MC12 decided to pull out six hours into the race but the car was in perfect mechanical order. Gianni Giudici/Diego Romanini/Raffaele Raimondi can be proud of the 25th place overall and the 8th in their class secured in the Maserati Trofeo Light. The car is closely derived from the standard road-going model and took on the 24 Hour without any problems.

Michael Bartels: “It is not easy finding the words to express what I feel. For me it is a dream come true. It was a tough race but the whole team was fantastic. I have to thank my driving partners who drove when the weather was really bad. Thanks also to Pirelli and Maserati who gave us the indications to set up the car perfectly. It is a shame about the second Vitaphone Racing Team car who pulled out when they were on the podium. Now we will aim to win a normal three hour race, maybe the next one in Germany at Oschersleben.”

Timo Scheider: “It was an exciting race from beginning to end and, in fact, I had to avoid another car that spun on the very last lap in the driving rain. I can confirm that our next aim is to take the next three hour in the FIA GT championship calendar, at Oschersleben at the end of August.”

Eric Van de Poele: “The 24 Hours of Spa is one of the most famous Endurance races in the world and obviously here in Belgium. A team has to be prepared perfectly to win this race. This has been great and I dedicate my win to a friend who sadly died recently.”

Philippe Peter: “Incredible! It was a real pleasure racing alongside Andrea and Karl. I felt at home with them immediately and I shared a great car with excellent Pirelli tyres. I am pleased as we scored valuable points and because I thought we would be able to score a one-two finish like this in our first 24 Hour! My partners allowed me the honour of crossing the finish line. It is a shame that there was so much water on the track in the closing stages.”