06/05/2007 - Misano

Mariano Bellin took two third places in the GT3-B class at the wheel of the Advanced Electronics GranSport Light. The race was held as part of the second round of the Sara GT Italian Gran Turismo championship at Misano Adriatico.

In race 1 the three Maserati drivers, after a trouble-free start, drove consistently throughout. The GT3-B, Mariano Bellin found the right tempo and closed out the race third in his class. He finished on the same lap as Coggiola/Di Bari's Porsche 997 in second.

In the Trofeo Nazionale CSAI’s GT Cup, Giorgio Manuzzi’s Seven Eleven Maserati Trofeo just missed out on a podium place as he came home fourth. The other Trofeo fielded by Seven Eleven finished seventh with Carlo Romani on board.

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05/05/2007 - Misano - Official qualifying in the second round of the Sara GT Italian Gran Turismo championship was held this afternoon. Three Maseratis made it onto the starting grid.

In the GT3-B class, Mariano Bellin claimed two third places in the GranSport Light fielded by Advanced Engineering. In the first session, to decide the order for race 1, he stopped the clock at 1'46”844. In session two, valid for the race 2 grid, his time improved to 1'46”291.

In the GT Cup class, open to vehicles with single-make specifications, Giorgio Manuzzi, in the first of the two Seven Eleven Trofeo GranSports, obtained sixth spot in his class in the first session (1'50”859) and fifth in the second (1'50”728). Carlo Romani, in the twin car, ended the first session in eighth (1'57”193) and the second in seventh (1'55”979), as he gradually got to grips with the Romagna circuit.
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Misano - The second round of the Sara GT Italian Gran Turismo Championship will take place this weekend at the Misano Adriatico ‘World Circuit’. Three Maseratis will be taking part.

In the GT3-B class, Mariano Bellin will again get behind the wheel of the GranSport Light fielded by Advanced Engineering. Bellin has 18 championship points courtesy of the two third places obtained at Adria on 1 April.

In the Trofeo Nazionale CSAI’s GT3 Cup, reserved to single-make vehicles, two Trofeo GranSports will compete, both prepared by Team Seven Eleven. In the driving seat will be Carlo Romani (who collected two third places in his class at Adria) and Giorgio Manussi.

Official qualifying will take place on Saturday 5 May from 9.50 to 10.20 and from 15.10 to 15.40. The two races will start on Sunday 6 at 10.40 and 16.10.

D.T.

15/10/2006 - Vallelunga

Giambattista Giannoccaro and Toni Vilander scooped both races in the conclusive round of the Italian GT at Vallelunga. The result proves that the Italian title won two weeks ago was fully deserved.

Race-1

Toni Vilander sped off at the start ahead of Chiesa’s Ferrari. Perazzini in the Racing Box MC12, meanwhile, held third place. After five laps Vilander’s lead over Chiesa had grown to almost 5”. On the same lap came the surprise when Perazzini was forced to pull out with an engine problem. Vilander’s race continued undisturbed and the Finn gained two seconds a lap. At the half hour stage Giambattista Giannoccaro replaced Vilander and, once the driver pit stops were over, Giannoccaro led Loris Kessel, Chiesa partner, by over 20”. This gap grew to thirty seconds a quarter of an hour from the end and 35 seconds with ten minutes to go. Giannoccaro task was to take the car to the finish line intact and the closing stages reserved no surprises as the Playteam Sara Free Maserati MC12 duly crossed the line up front. Vilander had the satisfaction of claiming the fastest lap of 1’32”759, at an average speed of 158.539 km/h.

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14/10/2006 - Vallelunga

Free practice ahead of the last round of the Italian GT series at Vallelunga confirmed the fine form of the champions-in-waiting, Giambattista Giannoccaro and Toni Vilander.

At the wheel of the Maserati MC12 fielded by Playteam Sara Free, the Italo-Finn pairing set the best time in both of this morning's sessions (1’32”392 at an average of 159.169 km/h and 1’33”163 at an average of 157.852 km/h).

The other Maserati MC12, fielded by Racing Box for Luca Cappellari and Piergiuseppe Perazzini, set the third fastest time in the first session (1’33”554) and the second quickest in session two (1’33”969).

Official qualifying will take place this afternoon at 14.35 and 16.55.

D.T.

09/07/2006 - Race-1

Toni Vilander: The car was set up very well. I had to slow a little to maintain the fuel levels.

Giambattista Giannoccaro: The accelerator kept locking and this conditioned my stint. On the final lap at Parabolica, I got the racing line right and managed to overtake Cappellari.

Piergiuseppe Perazzini: It was a very hard race, especially for the tyres and brakes, but the MC12 handled excellently.

Luca Cappellari: It was a shame to lose by just a few metres. Unfortunately, I had to slow down to conserve fuel. On the last lap, a back marker cost me time and Giannoccaro benefited. I have to compliment Giannoccaro on his showing.

Amato Ferrari (AF Corse): The drivers raced intelligently and put the car in a good position. The tyres also contributed to the good consumption and this is one of the Maserati Light’s plus points.

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09/07/2006 - Monza

The Maserati MC12s took the sixth round of the Italian Gran Turismo championship.

In an exciting race, Giannoccaro/Vilander, in the Playteam Sara Free car, claimed race 1. Behind them came Cappellari/Perazzini at the wheel of the Racing Box MC12. The roles were inverted in race 2. It was also a positive day for the AF Corse Light driven by Scionti/Sperati as they took fourth place in the GT3 class.

Race-1

Toni Vilander got off to a good start followed by Piergiuseppe Perazzini. The Maserati drivers managed to hold off the Chiesa's Ferrari 575 GTC when braking for the first chicane. In trying to overtake Perazzini, the Prancing Horse car overshot the turn. Vilander was fast from the very start and held a seven second lead as early as lap four. Perazzini was able to build a good advantage over Chiesa in second. Vilander continued to push and lapped two seconds quicker than his direct adversaries.

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28/05/2006 - Vallelunga

The Maserati MC12s fielded by Playteam Sara Free came away from Vallelunga with maximum spoils. Giannoccaro and Vilander consolidated their lead in the Italian GT with a double victory. The Racing Box Maserati MC12 took second place with Cappellari and Perazzini, making his return. The car was eliminated from race 2 after a clash with a back marker.

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Andrea Palma was born in Rome on 13 June 1976. Together with Danilo Zampaloni he won the Trofeo CSAI’s GT3 class in the 2005 Sara Assicurazioni Italian GT championship. At the wheel of the AF Corse Maserati Light, Palma was one of the most consistent drivers of the season. Andrea Palma made his first competitive appearance in karting in the mid-nineties. In 1998 he made the move to the Campionato Italiano Velocità Turismo where he featured until 2001. In 2002 he took part in the Campionato Italiano Superproduzione and, the following year, in the Alfa Romeo 147 Cup. He signed up for the Trofeo Maserati Europa in 2004, winning the series and beating off the challenge of superb drivers in the process.
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It was a bitter Saturday for the Megadrive-Racing Box team at the Italian Gran Turismo championship at Vallelunga. Matteuzzi/Perazzini's Maserati MC12 had to retire in race 1 while holding first spot. With the retirement went the chances of contesting the title with Malucelli and Ramos.
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