Maserati Dominates Spa 24 Hour Race

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Maserati has scored a dominant win at the Spa 24 Hour Race at the weekend (2-3 August), the latest round of the FIA GT World Championship, with the two Maserati Vitaphone MC12 cars finishing 1-2 and a third Maserati MC 12 finishing one step off the podium.

Maserati and Vitaphone's exploits were particularly impressive - they scored maximum points, being in first and second places at each of the three times when world championship points were awarded. First over the line was the Maserati MC12 driven by Bartels, Bertolini, Sarrazin and van de Poele, followed by the Ramos, Negrao, Lemeret and Pierguidi driven Maserati MC12

Nothing that the weather, several safety car periods or their competitors could throw at them deflected them from taking dominant win.

“It was an incredible victory, easy only if analyzed superficially because up to the middle of the race we fought against fast, aggressive adversaries,”said Andrea Bertolini at the end of the race. “I can’t tell you if this success is better than the one in 2006, all that matters is that my name is in this race’s honor’s list. I thank the team and Maserati for the opportunity I was given and I dedicate this success to Roberto Ronchi, who is leaving Maserati, and I welcome Harald Wester who is joining us now.”

The weather provided a difficult challenge for the teams; for hours it varied between being dry, light drizzle and heavy rain, never settling for more than ten or twenty minutes. There were also three safety car periods due to incidents around the circuit - but Vitaphone and Maserati rose above it all.

ENDS

Results – Spa 24 Hour Race
1. Bartels/Bertolini/Sarrazin/van de Poele Vitaphone Racing Maserati MC12 24hours 02mins 42.228secs 577 laps GT1
2. Ramos/Negrao/Lemeret/Pierguidi Vitaphone Racing Maserati MC12 +2 laps GT1
3. Simonsen/Peter/Turner/Thompson Gigawave Motorsport Aston Martin DBR9 +7 laps GT1
4. Ferte/Aucott/Daoudi JMB Racing Maserati MC12 +16 laps GT1
5. Malucelli/Ruberti/Camathias/Rigon BMS Scuderia Italia Ferrari 430 +22 laps GT2
6. Collard/Westbrook/Lieb Prospeed Competition Porsche 997 RSR +25 laps GT2
7. Vilander/Bruni/Melo/Salo AF Corse Ferrari 430 +27 laps GT2
8. Kox/Rusinov/Lammers/Enge IPB Spartak Reiter Lamborghini Murcielago +33 laps GT1
9. Mullen/Niarchos/Piccini/Shedden CR Scuderia Ferrari 430 +34 laps GT2
10. Moser/Del Monte/Vannelet/Palma Kessel Racing Ferrari 430 +36 laps GT2
11. Kirkaldy/Bell/Muller/Sutton CR Scuderia Ferrari 430 +41 laps GT2
12. Narac/Lietz/Long IMSA Performance Porsche 997 RSR +57 laps GT2
13. Bermes/Thomas/Basseng/Hemroulle Muehlner Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 +59 laps G3
14. van Splunteren/Khan/Voorman/Huismann Muehlner Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 +64 laps G3
15. Campbell/Jakubowski/Labhardt/Barde AS Events Ferrari 430 +71 laps G3
16. Loix/Dermont/Lamot/Heylen Prospeed Competition Porsche 911 GT3 +72 laps G3
17. Babini/Davies/Monfardini Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari 430 +74 laps GT2
18. Duval/Kelders/Greisch/Kerkhove First Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 +76 laps G3
19. Juniper/Twigg/Baird/Forbes Juniper Racing Porsche 997 RSR +105 laps GT2
20. Brouard/Noziere/Stepec/Samon Emeraude Racing Porsche 911 GT3 +109 laps G3
21. Hezemans/Gollin/Deletraz/Fassler Phoenix Racing Corvette C6R +117 laps GT1
22. Coens/Faggionato/Shroyen/Furnal Delahaye Racing Ferrari 430 +118 laps G3
23. Lesoudier/Brandela/Peyroles Sport Garage Ferrari 430 +175 laps G3
24. Ashburn/Williams/Sugden/Pompidou Trackspeed Porsche 997 RSR +195 laps GT2
25. Tenchini/Basso/Plati/Baguette Easy Race SRL Ferrari 430 +227 laps GT2
26. Jones/Jones/Jordan Team Eurotech Ascari KZ1R +254 laps G3
27. Ballay/Scheier/Kuteman/Garbagnati/Comar/Rambeaud JMB Racing Ferrari 430 274 laps completed CdR
28. Duez/Sougnez/Wauters/Muytjens Gpr Pino Racing Porsche 911 GT3 267 laps completed G3
29. Kumpen/Longin/Mollekens/Bouvy Peka Racing Saleen S7R 255 laps completed GT1
30. Chaillet/Geoffroy/Galland Signa Motorsport Dodge Viper 229 laps completed G3
31. Kaufmann/Talkanitsa/Boulay/Heyer McDonald's Racing Porsche 996 Bi-Turbo 229 laps completed G2
32. Biagi/Montanari/Russo/Farnbacher AF Corse Ferrari 430 225 laps completed GT2
33. Kuzminykh/Knauss/Kraihamer/Rich S-Berg Racing Lamborghini Gallardo 196 laps completed G3
34. Forsten/Palttala/Henzler/Horion Prospeed Competition Porsche 997 RSR 183 laps completed GT2
35. Wendlinger/Sharp/ Muller/Lichtner-Hoyer Jetalliance Racing Aston Martin DBR9 151 laps completed GT1
36. Leinders/Kuppens/Martin Belgian Racing Gillet Vertigo 145 laps completed G2
37. Margaritis/Menten/Schlussen/Alzen Phoenix Racing Corvette C6.R 140 laps completed GT1
38. Renard/Hissom/Wasover Sport Garage Ferrari 430 122 laps completed G3
39. Baron/Fournet/Corbel/Ferreira Emeraude Racing Porsche 911 GT3 92 laps completed G3
40. Desbrueres/Desbrueres/Helary/Radermecker Exagon Engineering Ferrari 430 31 laps completed G3
41. Bouchut/Maassen/Soulet/Pillon SRT Corvette C6.R 12 laps completed GT1
42. Vosse/Franchi/Lamy/Zacchia Larbre Competition Saleen S7R 0 laps completed GT1

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