Circuit: Nuerburgring "Nordschleife", length 25,378 km
Weather: cloudy, temperature 15° C
Car:
n° 7: Maserati GranSport Laboratorio, chassis n° 23400
Drivers: Andrea Bertolini (I) - Michael Bartels (D) - Eric Van de Poele (B) - Gianni Giudici (I)
Position: 8th, overall best time: 9'20"017, laps: 8

n° 9: Maserati GranSport Trofeo, chassis n° 08936
Drivers: Jacques Laffite (F) - Gianni Giudici (I)- Patrick Hong (USA) - Richard Meaden (GB)
Position: 67th (6th in class), best time: 10'17"413, laps: 7

Official qualifying ahead of the 24 Hour was held today (Friday 16 June) at Nuerburgring's 'Nordschleife' circuit, one that measures over 20km and that is known as the 'old Nuerburgring'. Tomorrow's race will start at 15.00. The mythical German endurance event will witness the participation of the official Maserati R&D Factory Team. They will field two cars: the GranSport Trofeo and the GranSport Laboratorio. In the former, that will bear Maserati's original red racing livery, will be the ex-Formula 1 driver Jacques Laffite, the expert Gianni Giudici and journalists Patrick Hong (United States) and Richard Meaden (England). Andrea Bertolini, the German Michael Bartels (both of whom drive the MC12 in the FIA GT championship), Belgian Eric Van de Poele and, once more, Gianni Giudici will share the drive of the GranSport Laboratorio. The car will feature Vodafone sponsor logos.



The Laboratorio was immediately among the lead cars with Eric Van de Poele setting the eighth best time overall of 9'20"017 (of over 200 vehicles). This was an excellent result considering that the car is making its competition debut and features brand new technical innovations that have so far only been tested briefly at Adria. These include the carbon fibre drive shaft.

The GranSport Trofeo also fared will with Gianni Giudici who came in sixth (10'17"413) in his category and 67th overall. This despite driving a car that is very close to the original roadgoing version.
Provisional pole position went to Luhr-Bernhard-Rockenfeller-Tiemann (Porsche 911, in 8'47"980).

Qualifying will also be held this evening from 19.30 to 23.00.
The 24 hour race start tomorrow, Saturday 17 June, at 15.00.

The 24 Hours of Nuerburgring confirms the traditional links between Maserati and the most trying Endurance races. One highlight was the MC12's triumph in the 2005 24 Hours of Spa. Such events allow for technological innovation and test the cars' reliability. On this important occasion, both Maserati GranSports will be sporting Pirelli tyres.

The watching crowds also deserve a mention. Some 200,000 are expected to line the circuit during the weekend and, during yesterday's parade through the city of Adenau, they applauded the return of the Trident vehicles to Nuerburgring.

"Very good for a car prepared in a month and with only a day's testing behind it", declared Andrea Bertolini, Maserati Corse's official driver and tester. "I think that the second qualifying session will go even better. The circuit is very uneven but it is exhilarating being here for the 24 Hour".

"I thought I remembered the track better", admitted Jacques Laffite. "However, we have to continually pay attention to the other cars. There are more than 200 of us racing; it is amazing. We are doing well".