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 Bertolini-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.

Text courtesy of Maserati Press Center

Final results at Adria

 1. Gollin-Hezemans (#6 Corvette Z06) 96 laps in 2h 00:51.339
 2. Bertolini-Bartels (#1 Maserati MC12) 59 laps + 9"435 secs
 3. Fassler-Deletraz (#5 Corvette Z06) 59 laps + 12"333 secs
 7. Aucott-Kutemann (#15 Maserati MC12) + 1 lap
20. Negrao-Ramos (#2 Maserati MC12) + 13 laps

FIA GT Championship - Drivers (after three races)

1. Bertolini, Bartels, Bouchut, Maassen 20pts.
2. Gollin, Hezemans 19pts.
3. Simonsen, Peter 15pts.
4. Wendlinger, Sharp 12pts.
5. Negrao, Ramos 10pts.

FIA GT Championship - Team (after three races)

1. Vitaphone Racing Team (Maserati MC12) 30pts.
2. Phoenix Carsport Racing (Chevrolet Corvette C6.R) 26pts.
3. Selleslagh Racing Team (Chevrolet Corvette C6.R) 20pts.
4. Gigawave Motorsport (Aston Martin DBR9) 15pts.
4. Jetalliance Racing (Aston Martin DBR9) 15pts.
5. Larbre Competition (Saleen S7) 5pts.
6. PekaRacing nv (Saleen S7) 3pts.
7. JMB Racing (Maserati MC12) 3pts.