The second round of the FIA GT International Championship got underway with today's free practice session.

The event is being held at Brno and will witness the involvement of two Maserati MC12s. The Trident cars will be fielded by Vitaphone Racing Team and driven by Michael Bartels-Andrea Bertolini and by Jamie Davies-Thomas Biagi. At the end of the 90 minute session, Davies-Biagi set the sixth fastest time of 1'59"320. Bartels-Bertolini were eighth quickest in 1'59"931. Topping the timesheet was the Bert-Janis crew (Saleen) in 1'57"951.

Both Maseratis are taking to the track with 25kg of extra weight on board. This was assigned by the FIA following their showing in 2005. Bartels-Bertolini's MC12 has a further 40kg of ballast to contend with having won the season's opening race at Silverstone. The Maserati MC12s, in 2005, took third on the grid and second in the race with Bertolini-Wendlinger.


There will be another free practice session this weekend's programme at Brno before official qualifying is held tomorrow (Saturday 27 May at 9.15 and 15.05). The race is timetabled for Sunday 28 May at 13.30.

The first race took place on 7 May at Silverstone and saw Bartels-Bertolini's MC12 triumph over the Saleen of Janis-Bert and Babini-Gollin's Aston Martin. Davies-Biagi also did well in the other Maserati as they came home fifth at the end of the three-hour race.

Thanks to their performance, Bertolini and Bartels head the drivers' standings while Vitaphone Racing Team lead the team table. Maserati is second among the constructors, just two points off Aston Martin and ahead of Saleen and Corvette.