Two wins in 2005 and 2006 and a second place in 2007 are under the belt of this top-ranking Championship team.

The most important and most looked forward to event of the International FIA GT Championship will take place this weekend in Spa Francorchamps, Belgium, which hosts the 61st 24-Hour race. It is one of the oldest and most fascinating competitions in sports car racing history. The Vitaphone Racing team has had two consecutive wins in the 24 Hours in 2005 and 2006 with its Maserati MC12s, and nearly won in 2007. This year's challenge has long been expected because the Maserati MC12 is leading the driver's classification with the Andrea Bertolini-Michael Bartels pair and is solidly on top in the Team's Championship. To best face Spa's 24 Hours, two international-level drivers will join the team: the Frenchman Stephane Sarrazin, involved in F1 racing for several seasons as driver and tester and who just participated in the last 24 Hour race in Le Mans, and the Belgian specialist Eric van de Poele, Spa winner in 1987, 19 98, 2005 and 2006, and who is after a historical fifth victory. Car no. 2's team will also be top-notch: besides Miguel Ramos and Alexander Negraõ, there will also be the Italian Alessandro Pier Guidi and the Belgian Stephane Lemeret racing his second 24 Hours with the Vitaphone Racing Maserati colors. The third Maserati run by JMB Racing will be driven by three talented gentlemen drivers, Ben Aucott, Alain Ferté and Stephane Daoudi.
The 24 Hour race schedule is very intense, as scoring will be doubled.. Points will be assigned after the first six hours, after twelve hours and at the conclusion of the race.

This is why the race is crucial. The cars will be on the track starting tomorrow, Thursday 31 July at 10:30 for the free practices, while the actual race will take place on Saturday, 2 August at 16.00 and will end 24 hours later.

Andrea BERTOLINI (Vitaphone Racing- Maserati MC12 no. 1)
"Spa's 24 Hours is a hugely important race to all drivers. To participate in it is an honor, and to be included in the honor's list -as I was in 2006- is a paramount moment in the career of a professional race car driver. With regard to this year's race, we can handle tough competition. The winning team of two years ago is joined by Sarrazin, who is very fast and who did very well in the early July practices. It is a determining race that scores points during three diff erent moments of the race, and so all the drivers and the crew's' the joint work at being consistent is important. The weather forecast is good, but we will also have a dedicated weather forecasting service to enable us to know of any weather changes and adapt our strategies accordingly. I think the race will be decided between the night and the first light of day.

Timetable 24 Hours of Spa- 5° round FIA GT Championship

Thursday 31st July: 10.30-12.00 Free Practice; 14.45-16.15 pre qualifying; 20.30-21.30 qualifying practices 1; 22.30-23.30 qualifying practices 2.
Friday 1st August: 12.50-13.35 qualifying practices 3.
Saturday 2nd August: 10.15-10.35 Warm Up; 14.30-15.15 pit walk and drivers presentation; 16.00 start.
Sunday 3rd August: 16.00 finish.