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  Maserati MC12 Corse      

  Article Image gallery (179) Chassis (8) Specifications User Comments (1)  
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Country of origin:Italy
Produced from:2004 - 2005
Numbers built:12
Introduced at:2004 Geneva Motor Show
Internal name:M144
Designed by:Pininfarina
Author:Wouter Melissen
Last updated:November 11, 2013
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Click here to download printer friendly versionThe controversy was pulled well into 2005 as Maserati found the ALMS willing to accept the MC12. Maserati welcomed the opportunity to further highlight the brand in the United States; the most important market of all. Again the ACO protested and at one point threatened to no longer endorse the series and force it to strip the Le Mans from the name. Finally a compromise was found that allowed the MC12 to run, however it would not be eligible to score points. Maserati Corse entered the car in all ten rounds of the season, but it was only to operate in the shadow of the brand new Corvette C6.R and Aston Martin DBR9.

Back in Europe, four cars were entered in the FIA GT Championship by Vitaphone Racing and JMB. Again the penalties hampered the cars, and JMB managed to score just one win. Vitaphone faired considerably better, especially after winning the all important Spa 24 Hours halfway through the season. Two more wins and a steady run in the rest of the races saw the German team clinch the team's championship. Despite strong competition, the 2006 season saw another Spa 24 Hour win and Vitaphone won the team and driver titles. There was more of the same in 2007, but this time the Maserati missed out on the Spa win.

With a rule change looming, no new GT1 cars were developed, so the status quo remained. This allowed the Vitaphone to continue their dominance, winning the constructor's and driver's (Michael Bartels and Andrea Bertolini) title again in 2008 and 2009. Ahead of the 2010 season, the regulations were finally changed and the FIA GT1 Championship introduced. The MC12 was allowed to race for one more season and continued to compete at the sharp end of the field. Although only winning two qualifying and two championship races, Bertonlini and Bartels won the championship again in what was the MC12's final season.

Although the Maserati MC12 is one of the most successful GT racers of its era, it will always be remembered for the controversy surrounding its homologation. It will be interesting to hopefully find out in the future whether the 'mistakes' were made by accident, or that the Italians really felt that they could bend the rules a little. Maserati's persistence and absolute refusal to make the car legal would suggest the latter. It is safe to say that no smaller manufacturer would have gotten away with any of this.

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  Article Image gallery (179) Chassis (8) Specifications User Comments (1)