21/06/2008 - Adria

The magical evening that marks the summer solstice here at the Po’ River delta Circuit gave Maserati second place and a top place at the FIA GT International Championship. Andrea Betolini-Michael Bartels finished at second place, after dominating the race, due to a ‘drive through’, a penalty in which a racecar surpasses slowly from the pit lane.
The penalty cost the team 27 seconds, and only thanks to great recovery work by the drivers and a masterly final pit stop did MC12 no. 1 manage to snatch the second step on the podium. The second Maserati Vitaphone Racing Team pair, made up of Alexander Negraõ and Miguel Ramos and carrying 55-kg ballast, was forced to return to the pits for repairs at the 13th lap and missed 7 laps. Once back in the race, Negrao executed the fastest lap of the race in 1’12”858, but by then it was impossible to score.
Great result for the third MC12 driven by the JMB team from Monaco, with gentleman driver Alanain Ferté and Ben Aucott, who finished in seventh place, earning the first two points in 2008.




Andrea BERTOLINI: «Consisten race this evening, the results is perfect in Championshpi perspective, but we are little bit disappointed for the penalty ‘drive trought’».

Michael BARTELS: «We are involved to analize the reasons of this ‘drive trought’. I think thath this result is a good step to win the next races in Oschersleben and Spa Francorchamps. Special thanks to the Michelin staff for the excellent work here in Adria».

Miguel RAMOS: «Bad race conditionating by the decision to penalize our car on the starting grid. I have tryed a lot to recover after the long box stop, but the way is totally closed».

Alexander NEGRAÕ: « On the third lap I have tryed to surpass Kumpen, the contact with his car was not so hard but my machine entering in the box for a long mechanical replacement. I’m disappointed , because my MC12 marking the fastest lap of the race, but to recover it is impossible after 7 laps of stopping».