Car N. 1 - Bartels/Bertolini (Vitaphone Racing Team) - pos. 2°
Car N. 2 - Ramos/Müller (Vitaphone Racing Team) - rtd. lap 28.

Weather: cloudy (14°), dry (22°)

Length: 5.141 m

Maserati MC12 grazes victory at the Tourist Trophy with the Vitaphone Racing Team Bertolini/Bartels duo's second place.

Indeed, the success of the first round of the FIA GT championship goes to Wendlinger/Sharp (Saleen S7), which nevertheless had to fight for it tooth and nail with the Trident's Italian/German duo in a riveting neck and neck up to the last few minutes. When Bertolini re-entered the track - replacing Bartels - he gained top position thanks to superb teamwork, managing to do the second pit stop in record time. Unfortunately, while it was defending its position against Wendlinger's attack, car 1 was penalized by back markers.

Maserati MC12 no. 2 got a tough break when it was forced to exit the race after about one hour of racing due to a wheel problem. Driven by Miguel Ramos at the time, who had substituted team-mate Alex Müller just a few laps before, it had been in third place behind Bertolini.

The next stage of the FIA GT championship will be held in Adria on Saturday, 16 May.

Michael Bartels: "We feel we are the winners of the GT1 category because I do not consider the Saleens as part of this car class since they have a definite edge over other cars because of their use of larger restrictors. So for us this second place amounts to a full-fledged success, it is the best position we could have aspired to today".

RACE RESULTS:
1) Wendlinger/Sharp (Saleen S7)
2) Bartels/Bertolini (Maserati MC12)
3) Moreau/Bartels (Corvette Z06)

DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP:
1) Wendlinger/Sharp - 10 points
2) Bartels/Bertolini - 8 points
3) Moreau/Bartels - 6 points

Text courtesy of Maserati Press Center