Maserati Reparto Corse undertook a four day test session at Estoril last week, mainly concentrating on developing the MC12 sportscar's Pirelli tyres for use next year.

With the V12-engined Maserati MC12 now fully homologated by the FIA for 2005, it is clearly going to be the car to beat next year in the burgeoning FIA GT Championship, although there is still no official word on any teams as yet signed up to the programme.

With the highly successful, championship-winning, BMS Scuderia Italia concern deciding to focus on the Prodrive-built, Care-funded, Ferrari 550 Maranello cars for another season, attention has now turned to long-time Ferrari customers, JMB Racing, and an outfit headed by the principal players behind this year's FIA GT series Vitaphone Saleen entry, as the likely candidates to field the MC12.

The Maserati MC12 guarantees genuine race-winning potential straight out the box, but at a price, and one of the sticking points appears to be the cost involved in the V12 engine build and lease schedule.

This week's test for the car, which comfortably won two of its four end of FIA GT season races, centered around Pirelli tyre development. Two chassis were present, with regular drivers Mika Salo and Andrea Bertolini, who together claimed the wins at Oschersleben and Zuhai, joined by official Pirelli tester Fabio Babini, himself also a regular in the FIA GT series.

The action kicked off on Tuesday with Bertolini in the no 33 cars covering 119 laps, and posting a best time of 1:35.712. In the other car present, the no 34, Salo turned in 45 laps, his fastest a 1:36.774, while Babini, also sharing this car covered 22 laps, his quickest in 1:37.659.

Day two again saw Bertolini concentrating on distance testing in the no 33 car, covering a similar number of laps as the opening day, 119, with his best a 1:34.926, which also turned out to be the quickest lap of the week. Salo and Babini were again sharing the no 34 Maserati MC12, with the Finn running 47 laps with a best of 1:35.964, while the Italian Pirelli tester ran 18 laps, his best a 1:37.170.
 

Thursday, the third and penultimate day of the test, once again saw Maserati Repato Corse concentrate on Pirelli tyre development. Bertolini, who has recently also been undertaking testing work for the Scuderia Ferrari Formula One team at the wheel of the F2004 chassis, completed another 78 laps in the no 34 car, and posted a fastest lap of 1:35.235.

Babini, who won the traditional end of season Bologna Motor Show knock-out tournament for the new Maserati GranSport Trofeo a fortnight ago, drove the no 34 MC12 as well, and he turned in 40 laps, the quickest in 1:37.036.

Meanwhile Mika Salo, a highly experienced ex-F1 star, who can count on stints with both Ferrari and Toyota, was in the no 33 car, running 97 laps, his best performance a lap of 1:35.078.

Friday saw the four day test wrapped up, with both Maserati Reparto Corse and Pirelli, reportedly very satisfied with the progress that was achieved achieved.

On this final day Bertonlini ran 66 laps in the no 34 car, his best a 1:34.966, while Salo in the other racer present covered 38 laps, his fastest a 1:35.678. Babini, meanwhile, drove stints at the wheel of both cars: in the no 33 he ran 72 laps (best time: 1:35.886), while he later on he also covered 53 laps in the no 33 (best time: 1:35.982).

Circuit: Estoril (4,183 km); Drivers: Andrea Bertolini; Mika Salo, Fabio Babini; Cars: MC12 n. 33 and 34; Weather: 14/12: air temperature 13/16°C, track temperature 13/18°C; cloudy, dry track. 15/12: air temperature 13/19°C, track temperature 14/22°C; sunny, dry track. 16/12: air temperature 14/19°C, track temperature 14/21°C; sunny, dry track. 17/12: air temperature 17/18°C, track temperature 17/21°C; sunny, dry track.