Maserati MC12 : all you need to know... (merged threads)

[class4v]

From what I've heard testing with the MC 12 goes on till friday. Maybe some other stars might have a run? What about Mansell ;-)

[BSchneiderFan]

Nannini wouldn't need the car adapted; after the helicopter crash, his arm was reattached and he's since raced touring cars and sports cars, with some success.

[JAG]

Originally posted by Cadete
And besides, ballast would be against the technical innovations that the ACO has preached recently. They want new cars to win, of course, but by merit, not by ballast.

Just one small question, is the Maserati ACO-approved? I was reading #21 of LeMans Racing Magazine and it said that the Maserati was more than 2000mm wide and so would not comply to the ACO rules.

There will be an ACO Spec Maserati.

Who knows, by next season there may even be joint ACO/FIA GTS rags.

[FIRE]

Originally posted by The Badger
What happened to Nicola Larini ? Now they have Bertolini-Salö-Massa-Badoer for the drive . I thought Massa was driving for Sauber in F1 ?

Massa (and Badoer?) did only test the car, he will not race in the car.

[PascaLM]

Originally posted by The Badger
...They should adapt a car for Zanardi-Nanninni ..... that would be cool !!!

Good joke, rather acid, but good joke.

[rdjones]

So if I become a racing driver do I get a go........

[independent]

Looks like its going to be very fast. lmsr.net has the timing against Prodrive, JMB, etc.

http://www.lmsr.net/prtest.html

[tblincoe]

wow, but not THAT much faster... im actually surprised and partially glad its substantially faster than the prodrive car, this means that it wont kill the new GTS competition

[Patrick B]

First time out and its already faster then the Prodrive's...

Pratt & Millers engineers won't be getting much sleep tonight...

[independent]

They already have to be thinking about Krohn-Barbour, now this?

[tblincoe]

by the way, what kind of car was N-Technology running? mika salo was driving and it was not too far back from the prodrive and maserati

[Javi]

It has to be said that, according to lmsr.net, that car could be running any non legal aerodynamic or structural device, as it does not have to undergo any tech revision. Having said this, it´s really impressive that on their first day, with a more or less unknown set up, they are faster then the 550 maranello, because I am sure they are not going for times.
I am not sure If I am afraid of it, this car is the 911 GT1 from these years...

[Fab]

Three threads about the same topic : the new Maserati... let's make it in one !

I merged the three in one : use is now for all the news and comments (tests, pilots, etc...).

We've here :
- "who's gonna drive the Maserati"
- "Maserati #2 at Le Castelet"
- and the last news...

[marcush.]

you couldn´t say ,the Mc12 is running for the first time in PaulRicard,could you?
They surely have good access to the setup of the 575 Maranello and very very competent drivers got their hand on it too,so this is not a start from square 1.
Of course the times have to be competitive ,as they want to sell cars.But why should they show their hand already?would only rise speculation about additional restrictions before their debut.

[Javi]

If I was them, I would not make my car look much faster than the opposition. Will they be sandbagging?

[Fab]

Originally posted by Javi
If I was them, I would not make my car look much faster than the opposition. Will they be sandbagging?

They may suffer a penalty ballast after the first positive results (in FIA-GT), but they should enter as they are, as long as they follow the ACO's specs... that could not be the case from now...

[Javi]

If you remember the Porsche GT1 case, it appeared as the first "homologation special" in 1996, and proved to be 3-4 seconds a lap faster than the previous dominator, the McLaren F1. McLaren officially complained to FIA. It appearance made McLaren develop the long tail F1 and made the FIA change the restrictor for turbo engines and ban ABS brakes, which hampered the porsche the following season, and made the car uncompetitive. On the other hand, FIA favoured a major factory like Mercedes to develop their GT1 car, with an atmospheric V12 engine as the McLaren and a carbon chassis. It even competed without homologation.
I do think ACO want the factories back in racing and allowing the carbon chassis in GTS want to repeat the GT1 experiment. If Maserati (ferrari at the end) enters, probably Mercedes will, as do Porsche.. I just hope it does not end in tears as the FIA championship did

[independent]

N-Technology is the racing division of the Fiat Company. They were running a 575 GTC.

[PascaLM]

Originally posted by tblincoe
wow, but not THAT much faster... im actually surprised and partially glad its substantially faster than the prodrive car, this means that it wont kill the new GTS competition

This car is only at the beginning of its development. I'm certain it will gain 0.5 to 1 second within the next months on the same track.

[Jeffrey-Lee]

Yes...but...Just look at the testing they've already done so far, should equal a few races me thinks.

..Or they're sandbagging of course, just like Ferrari in f1. Only fast when they need to be.

[JAG]

I can see them sandbagging in all FIA GT races/testing, due to the ballast etc. that can be added.

In ACO spec however, teams like Corvette, Audi etc. can just push the limits without any threat of restrictions.

Lets face it, against the new C5-R, and later C6-R the Maserati IS going to have to be pushed to the limit.

[FIRE]

Bouchet, who left Fia GT team Zwaans Racing, is the new testdriver of Maserati MC12 and maybe become one of the race drivers (together with Salo). source: pitstoptv.be