Maserati Wins Another World Championship

Maserati continues to add to its roster of victories with the capture of the FIA GT World Championship with its fifth drivers’ title and sixth team’s title in six seasons of racing for the Maserati MC12.

The winning ways continue for Maserati, an Italian automaker, with its FIA GT World Champioship this weekend. The individuals responsible for Maserati’s 2010 success are, for the fourth time, the Bertolini-Bartels crew and the German Vitaphone Racing Team who have captured their sixth title in six years.

Success has been in the MC12’s blood (or oil) since it debuted late in 2004 in four races. It picked up its first victory in the second race it entered with Bertolini-Salo. From the following season Maserati joined forces with the Vitaphone Racing Team, flanked in 2005 by JMB and in 2007 by PlayTeam.

Maserati released this statement about its victory: “Reliability and competitiveness are the two key factors in Maserati’s prolonged series of successes. If the MC12 has been able to stay on top for many years, despite significant changes in the technical regulations, this is due to the fact that the car comes without innate flaws, with a highly rigid carbon fibre monocoque chassis, excellent weight distribution between front and rear- the key attribute responsible for the excellent handling of Maserati road cars, equally excellent aerodynamic balance and a very low center of gravity.

“For these reasons even when its aspirated 6-litre V12 engine, originally 750 HP, was first reduced to 630 HP according to 2005 FIA regulations, then to the current 560 HP to comply with the current regulations, the car still stood out from the competition in terms of overall balance, speed on curves and lower tire wear. This is the explanation of the MC12 triumphs.”

Maserati's participation in the FIA GT since 2005 produced 14 titles (and 22 victories): two Constructors' Cups (2005 and 2007), five Drivers' Titles (Bartels-Bertolini in 2006, Thomas Biagi in 2007, and Bartels-Bertolini in 2008, 2009 and 2010); six Teams' Titles (consecutively since 2005, by the Vitaphone Racing Team); one Citation Cup in 2007 by gentleman driver Ben Aucott, JMB Racing, in addition to three absolute victories in Spa's 24 Hours (2005, 2006 and 2008).