Maserati In The 2005 ALMS Championship

02/23/2005 Modena

Maserati will take part in all race events of the 2005 ALMS Championship, after finalizing discussions between the IMSA and Maserati Corse.

After 48 years, Maserati is back with a factory racing car in North America. This new Maserati team will start once again in Sebring, where in 1957, Juan Manuel Fangio and Jean Behra won the 12 Hours race in a 450S, the last victory in the USA with a factory car.

A NEW CHAPTER IN AMERICAN RACING HISTORY
Racing has always played a fundamental role in Maserati's history. And so much of Maserati’s illustrious racing history took place in the USA. From winning the Indianapolis 500 back-to-back to dominating roadracing at some of the top events, motorsports in the US has had many chapters written by Maserati.

In 1939 and 1940, Wilbur Shaw drove a Maserati Tipo 8CTF to two consecutive victories in the Indianapolis 500. Maserati is the first Italian car to have won “The World’s Most Famous Race”. The Boyle Special Maserati now resides in The Hall of Fame Museum at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In 1946, Luigi Unser won his class in the Pike’s Peak with a Tipo 8CTF. In 1957, in addition to victory in Sebring by Fangio/Behra, Carrol Shelby won two races, in Palm Springs with a 300S and in Riverside with a 450S.

In 1957 Juan Manuel Fangio won his second Formula 1 World Championship at the wheel of a Maserati 250F, after the first one in 1954.

At the beginning of the '60s, the Camoradi and Cunningham private racing teams were successful with the famous Birdcage and drivers like Lucky Casner, Masten Gregory, Stirling Moss, Dan Gurney. Another driver, Walt Hansgen, won at Laguna Seca in 1960 with a Tipo 61, and the SCCA Championship in 1961.

MASERATI MC12 - A PROVEN RACE WINNER
Last year Maserati sealed its triumphant return to motor racing with a fantastic one-two finish in Zhuhai, China, the last round of the FIA GT Championship. The two MC12s - numbers 33 and 34 - fielded by the AF Corse team in the last four races of the season, clocked up two wins (the first one in Oschersleben, Germany), three seconds and one third between them, with Bertolini-Salo (who won two of the races) and Herbert-De Simone in their cockpits.

Claudio Berro, Director of Maserati Corse says: “Maserati Corse is pleased to have the opportunity to display our car to audiences in North America. This is the most important sales market for Maserati, so this development is very important for our sales and marketing efforts as well".

Maserati will participate with one MC12 directly managed by its Racing Department in compliance with the rules of the IMSA. This has been made possible thanks to the close co-operation of important partners, including Pirelli and Team Risi, who will support Maserati logistically.

Factory tester Andrea Bertolini will drive the car. Fabio Babini (Pirelli tester) will join him only for Sebring. The name of the third driver will be announced shortly. 2004 was an outstanding year for Maserati, celebrating its 90th anniversary, growing worldwide, setting new sales and production records, achieving best quality and customer satisfaction, launching four superb new products and returning to winning ways in international motorsport. In spite of the significant growth, Maserati continues to be one of the world’s most exclusive marques combining unique Italian design with luxury and a sporting spirit.