20.04.2004 The JMB Ferrari 550 Maranello took a GT win WHILE the new Maserati Light claimed a victory in the CSAI Trofeo, as the Italian GT's moved on to Monza

The JMB Racing run Ferrari 550 Maranello took a GT win in the opening race while the new Maserati Trofeo Light claimed a victory in the CSAI Trofeo, as the Italian GT series moved on to Monza last weekend.

Race one saw an all Chrysler Viper front row with the Megadrive-Racing Box example of Marco Cioci taking pole with a lap of 1:50.914.

Four tenths back was the sister car of Gabriele Matteuzi, while the second row was made up of the DR Sporte Equipe Viper of Davide Mastracci and Luca Riticelli in the first of the N-GT class Porsche 911's.

The highly fancied Lister Storm of Angelo Lancellotti was down on row three while way back on row eight was the JMB Racing Ferrari 550 Maranello in the hands of Lorenzo Case.

A fighting drive through the field from Lorenzo Case and then Maurizio Mediani saw them dispense with rivals freely. With problems hitting the Viper runners and Angelo Lancellotti's Lister Storm, the JMB crew eventually crossed the line to claim the win after almost exactly one hour's racing, fourteen seconds clear of Gabriele Matteuzzi and Pierguiseppe Perrazzini in the first of the Vipers. The final podium position went to Marco Cioci who fended Lancellotti off to the line.

In N-GT Andrea Chiesa and Lorris Kessel gave the new Ferrari 360 GTC victory, taking the flag twelve seconds clear of the 360 Modena of Cristian Francescon and Giovanni Berton, while in the CSAI Trofeo category the Porsche 911 of Giovanni Sada and Mario Sala was chased home by a Ferrari 355, with two Maserati Trofeo Lights rounding out the top four finishers.

Race two saw Maurizio Mediani in the JMB Racing Ferrari 550 Maranello easily controlling proceedings early on. However, shortly after handing over to Lorenzo Case, the big Ferrari pulled up at the side of the track and played no further part in the proceedings, leaving Racing Box's Piergiuseppe Perrazzi and Gabriele Matteuzzi to comfortably lead out a Viper 1-2 at the line.

In N-GT the Massimo Pigoli and Matteo Galimberti Porsche 911 fended off Chiesa and Kessel's Ferrari 360 GTC to win by three and a half seconds, giving Ferrari and Porsche a win each after a titanic class struggle. The N-GT podium position was rounded off by a 360 Modena in the hands of the highly experienced Luca Drudi and Massimo Monti.

Gianni Gudici and Raffaele Raimond, who drove a faultless race, gave the new Maserati Trofeo Light a second race win in the CSAI Trofeo, after its maiden success a fortnight ago at Imola. The experienced pair finished six seconds clear of their nearest rivals after a race long Maserati, Ferrari, Porsche battle eventually tipped in their favour. A second Trofeo Light driven by Giorgio Cipolli and Bruno Corradi finished a lap down in fourth.