Maserati's announcement this week that they will enter their awesome MC 12 sportscar in this year's ALMS series, has provoked an extraordinary war of words in the last twenty four hours between the ACO and IMSA.

The ball had started rolling on Wednesday, when Maserati confirmed the news that all American racing fans were waiting to hear: the the MC 12 would be competing in the 2005 American Le Mans Series, starting with an appearance at the famous Sebring 12 Hours in mid-March. The ALMS programme will see the fearsome new Italian beast pitted against the tough challenges from the Chevrolet, Saleen and Aston Martin runners. Spearheaded by the factory Maserati Corse outfit, it will be ably backed up Risi Competizione, who have a lifetime of winning experience in North American racing circles.

However, yesterday the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), organisers the Le Mans 24 Hours, and who also lend their name to the ALMS series, weighed in with a press release reminding all the parties concerned that 'the MC 12 does not comply with the technical regulations'. In a hard hitting statement, signed by Daniel Poissenot, the ACO's Assistant General Manager, they stressed that they hadn't had 'any contact with either the FIA. or IMSA concerning the control of the performance of this car.'

This morning, less than 24 hours after the ACO announcement, IMSA plunged into the war of words with their own statement confirming, 'that it has invited the Maserati MC12 to compete in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and each of the events of the 2005 American Le Mans Series, as a guest of IMSA, and not as part of the Le Mans branded series.' Signed by Tim Mayer, the Chief Operations Officer of IMSA, it was confirmed that the Maserati MC 12 would not be eligible for ALMS series points.

Despite this brief spat, the Maserati MC 12 is on its way to the US, and its ALMS participation is being ratcheted up to fever pitch. As the dust settles, all eyes will be on this amazing sportscar, when, in just nineteen days time at Sebring, the green flag is waved, and a new adventure gets underway.

25.02.2005 RELEASE: ACO

"The ‘ACO has noted the decision taken by the ALMS to put the Maserati MC 12 on the list of entries for the coming Sebring 12 Hours.
 

"The ‘ACO reminds the parties concerned that the MC 12 does not comply with the Technical Regulations and is not homologated. Thus, this car is not allowed to take part in events run under the ‘Le Mans’ label.

"On no occasion did the ACO officials have any contact with either the FIA or IMSA concerning the control of the performance of this car."

26.02.2005 RELEASE: IMSA

"The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) confirms that it has invited the Maserati MC12 to compete in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and each of the events of the 2005 American Le Mans Series, as a guest of IMSA, and not as part of the Le Mans branded series. Maserati has accepted and will run at Sebring.

"As previously announced, the MC12 will be a full competitor in the GT1 category and will be classified by IMSA based on its finishing position, but will not be eligible for series points. This is the arrangement with IMSA confirmed today by the ACO in its statement.

"IMSA also confirmed that both FIA and ACO officials were contacted and consulted through the process of finalizing the car specifications and protocol that will be utilized to control the performance.

"However, as the ACO made clear in its statement, IMSA, as the entity with the sporting authority for these competitions, bears final responsibility for the specifications, the protocol used to control performance and the administration of that protocol, and the ACO will not be involved or responsible for any aspect of that."