Maserati MC12: Third Straight Championship Season!
Dominant Season in FIA GT Yields Yet Another Championship

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The Maserati MC12 has again proved to be the car to beat in the FIA GT Championship. The stunning supercar, with its carbon-fiber chassis and 6-liter V12 engine, has claimed at least one podium spot in all but one of the eight races held so far, and has taken victory on four separate occasions – more than any other car.  The result: Maserati has again won the Manufacturers’ Cup, for the second time in three years, and the MC12-equipped Vitaphone Racing is all but guaranteed to win the Teams’ trophy.

Up to six cars have appeared at the races, campaigned by three different teams. Vitaphone Racing and Scuderia Playteam Sarafree are challenging for overall honors; Vitaphone are aiming to take the Teams’ Championship for a third successive year, while Playteam are making their debut in the series.

In 2006 Vitaphone drivers Michael Bartels and Andrea Bertolini also took the Drivers’ title; this year Bartels is partnered by Thomas Biagi. Bartels was hit by illness early in the season and missed two races, which means he won’t be retaining the title. Bertolini has switched to the Playteam squad, and currently lies second in the standings, partnered by Andrea Piccini. They are just three points behind Biagi – and, with three races remaining, six of the top ten drivers race the Maserati MC12.

The situation in the Teams’ table is the same, Vitaphone being pursued by Playteam – the difference is that here, Vitaphone enjoys a virtually insurmountable lead over their Maserati rivals. It would take a major upset to prevent Vitaphone from making it three in a row, while second place is a fine performance for Playteam in their first year in the Championship.

JMB Racing has been concentrating on the Citation Cup, a competition within the FIA GT Championship for gentleman drivers. Once again a Maserati driver has the upper hand – Ben Aucott heads the points table after taking victory in the previous two races, including the prestigious 24 Hours of Spa. And with Maserati firmly in control of the Manufacturers’ Cup, every table is topped by an MC12 driver, team or Maserati itself, continuing the dominance of the Italian marque.