The 2007 season of the International FIA GT Championship was officially launched today at the Monza circuit where the vehicles and racing teams that will give battle during the ten events planned, in concurrence with the traditional two days of collective pre-seasonal tests, were presented.
After the success achieved in the last two seasons, the Maserati MC12 will line up at the start as the vehicle to be beaten. This year the GT from Modena will be driven by three private teams: the Playteam Sara Free, the Vitaphone Racing Team and the JMB Racing Team.

After having taken part in the Tuscan leg of the 2006 championship of the FIA GT and after having made its mark in the Italian GT Championship with Giambattista Giannoccaro/Toni Vilander, the Playteam Sara Free will now face the new challenge with two MC12's entrusted to the Andrea Bertolini/Andrea Piccini and Giambattista Giannoccaro/Alessandro Pier Guidi crews, fitted with Pirelli tyres.


The Vitaphone Racing Team will attempt to defend the crown of the holder of the pilots' and team title of last year. Michael Bartels and Thomas Biagi are currently the two drivers confirmed by the team that will nominate another team in the next few weeks.

After the 2005 experience, the JMB Racing Team returns to the FIA GT1 with two MC12s.
The names of the drivers with which the Monegasque racing team will face the season are Kutemann/Waaijenberg and Macari/Aucott (these two drivers will partecipate to the Citation Cup).

During the winter months, Maserati Corse has continued its development work on the MC12 in order to adapt the vehicle to the new rules approved by FIA.

The next appointment
25/03/2007, Zhuhai International Circuit - Round 1 Fia GT 2007
The Zuhai circuit is the first permanent circuit to have been completed in China. The 4,300-metre-long course complies with the international standards dictated by the FIA and is fitted with advanced service plants. It is a circuit that adapts perfectly to the characteristics of the MC12, as confirmed by the historical double won in 2004, by Bertolini/Salo and Herbert/De Simone, at the wheel of the vehicles lined up by AF Corse.
However in 2005, the MC12's, relieved of a weight of 150 kg, concluded an extremely difficult race in third and fourth position respectively with Bartels/Scheider and Babini/Biagi. Thanks to these results, the Vitaphone Racing Team assured itself its first team title and Maserati won the FIA GT1 Constructors Cup.

The vehicle
Maserati MC12
The MC12 represents one of the most successful GT's of the last few years. By narrowing the field of analysis to an international level, since 2004 the MC12 has won 4 titles (1 Constructor's, 1 Pilots' and 2 Team), 10 victories, 21 podiums and 2 consecutive triumphs in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.

The teams
Playteam Sara Free
The Playteam Sara Free team has been the ultimate protagonist of the last two seasons of the GT championships in Italy, Spain and Europe. In the Italian GT Championship, the MC12, driven by Giannoccaro/Vilander, was awarded the pilots' title thanks to twelve successes and two second positions in eight seasonal rounds. The team, that hired the official Maserati test driver, Andrea Bertolini, uses Pirelli tyres and Shell lubricants.

Vitaphone Racing Team
After its debut in 2004 in the FIAT GT, in 2005 the German team won its first two team titles thanks to the performance of the MC12's and thanks to perfect organisation in the boxes. After two consecutive triumphs in the 24 Hours of Spa (2005 and 2006), the Vitaphone Racing Team saw Andrea Bertolini and Michael Bartels as winners of the pilots' title in 2006. It contributed to Maserati's success in the GT1 Constructors Cup in 2005.

JMB Racing Team
The team from the Principality of Monaco has been taking part in the FIA GT since 1997. In 2005, when JMB participated in the championship with the MC12's, the team registered their first record in terms of points, 114, that won them second place in the team classification.
It contributed to Maserati's success in the GT1 Constructors Cup in 2005.

The schedule
25/03/2007 Zhuhai | 06/05/2007 Silverstone | 20/05/2007 Bucharest | 24/06/2007 Monza | 08/07/2007 Oschersleben | 29/07/2007 Spa-Francorchamps | 08/09/2007 Adria | 23/09/2007 Brno | 30/09/2007 Nogaro | 21/10/2007 Zolder

Technical details of the MC12 GT1 Chassis: In carbon
Length: 4995 mm
Width: 2096 mm
Height: 1167 mmV Gauge
Front wheel rings: 12J/12.5J/13.J - 18"V Rear wheel rings: 13J/13.5J - 18"
Tyres: Pirelli Pzero
Front: 14" X 18" max
Rear: 14" X 18" max
Tank: Rubber
Capacity: 99 litres
Weight in movement: 1100 kg
Engine
Compression ratio: Not available
Suction: Limited, by cable, 12 throttles
Maximum power: Not available
Maximum torque: Not available
Injection: Marelli MR 5
Engine weight: 205 kg
Lubricants: Shell
Gearbox: Manual sequential 6 gears + reverse
Gearbox and differential weight: 70 kg
Differential: Self-blocking with clutches
Clutch
Type: Push - Carbon
Diameter: 140 mm (5,5 inch)
Weight: 5 kg
Brakes
Type: Brembo callipers
Messier Bugatti carbon disks
Diameter: 380/330
Thickness: 28 mm
Brake callipers: Brembo with 6 pistons
Brake pads: Various kinds
Suspension: Triangular arms superimposed with sprag
Steering box: Servo assisted