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LABORATORIO
Maserati has officially participated in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, June 17th, on the legendary Nordschleife track.

Two official cars were fielded by the “Maserati R&D Factory Team”: a GranSport “Laboratorio” and a GranSport Trofeo. They competed in the “DMSB E1XP” and the “24h Special” respectively.

Andrea Bertolini (the tester and official Maserati Corse driver), the German Michael Bartels, the Belgian Eric Van de Poele and Gianni Giudici (a well known driver with experience in various categories) will share the drive in the GranSport “Laboratorio”.

The “Laboratorio” car is based on the GranSport GT3 and features technical evolutions developed by the “Maserati R&D Factory Team”, directed by Giorgio Ascanelli; solutions to be tested directly in the tough environment that is the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.

The GranSport Trofeo is derived from the model that takes part in the Trofeo Maserati Audemars Piguet Europe. Only small modifications have been made, ones that prepare the car for an endurance race, such as strengthening the suspension and adapting the fuel supply and refuelling systems.

With the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, the Italian company continues its long tradition of participating in endurance races: this culture is based on the desire to compete and represent the Maserati marque in the top “long distance” events, to highlight the quality, reliability, and performance of the Trident products. Maserati’s success in endurance races began in 1939 with a win in the 500 Miles of Indianapolis with the 8CTF with Wilbur Shaw behind the wheel. The win was repeated the following year. Curiously, it was at Nürburgring that Maserati scored some of the most important wins in its history: three victories in the demanding 1000 kilometres (1956, 1960 and 1961). Moss-Behra-Taruffi-Schell (300S), Moss-Gurney (‘Birdcage Type 61), Gregory-Cassner (‘Birdcage’ Type 61) were the triumphant crews.

Since 2004, Maserati has appeared in many famous endurance events. There have been victories at the 24 Hours of Spa, with Michael Bartels-Timo Scheider-Eric Van de Poele in the MC12 (Vitaphone Racing Team), and in the 6 Hours of Vallelunga, with the MC12 driven by Davide Mastracci-Leonardo Maddalena-Michele Serafini (team Racing Box). Eigth place in their class was also secured at Spa by the Maserati Trofeo Light presented by Gianni Giudici-Diego Romanini-Enzo Raimondi.

There have been good results in the United States too. At the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2005, Andrea Bertolini-Fabrizio De Simone-Fabio Babini took 5th place in GT1 class in the factory MC12. The 2004 Daytona 24 Hour witnessed the return of a Trident car to an international endurance competition, with Matteo Bobbi- Ralf Kelleners-Anthony Lazzaro’s Maserati Trofeo Light (Team Risi Competizione) finishing the race in 11th position in the GT category.



LEXUS IS350
Since Lexus’ announcement in December that Team Lexus will field two IS 350s in the 2006 American Le Mans Series’ GT2 class, the team has been hard at work preparing the cars for their first racing season. The new cars will challenge GT2-class stalwarts Porsche and Panoz while taking on new entries from Ferrari and BMW.

“Although we’d love to be racing this weekend in Houston, building a new, competitive, GT2 car from the ground up is a complex undertaking,” said Team Lexus owner Chuck Goldsborough. “Our team has been working very hard to design and build the new cars, with inevitable challenges along the way. Once complete, the task of development then starts and must ramp up very quickly.”

The level of GT2 American Le Mans Series competition underscores the challenges inherent in building a sedan to compete on even terms. Top GT2 competitors include the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Ferrari F430GT, Panoz Esperante GTLM and BMW M3-all formidable cars. With its production-based V6 providing more than 450 HP to propel a race car weighing less than 2,800 lbs., the new IS 350 GT2 promises to be plenty quick. The car also will retain its double wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension, suitably modified for the task and tuned to work with the large BBS-mounted Michelin racing slicks. StopTech will provide an upgraded brake package.

The Team expects to begin testing in the next few weeks with the goal of a race debut this month. But the final decision on race timing will be based on test and development program results. “With the majority of the American Le Mans Series schedule taking place after July 1, it simply makes sense to be patient and develop the car properly,” said Philip Gaviola, Lexus motorsports manager. “And with the caliber of competition in the GT2 class, it’s going to be a steep learning curve regardless of when the IS 350 makes its debut.”

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