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Former Grand Prix
driver Andrea Montermini tested Team Racing Box's new
Maserati MC 12 last week ahead of leading their attack on
the 2005 FIA GT Championship.
The test, which took place at the Adria Raceway in Italy,
was curtailed early due to some minor mechanical issues that
arose. However, Montermini reported himself as being
immediately impressed with the car, and was quickly up to
the circuit's recognised pace.
"The car is very
special. Over recent months I have heard so much about its
development, so I was delighted to have an opportunity to
drive it and I am very grateful to everyone at Team Racing
Box for allowing me to be part of their exciting programme,"
commented Montermini. "The Maserati brand has such a rich
racing heritage and it was clear from my first few laps that
this wealth of knowledge and technical excellence has been
expertly applied to produce a stunning race car. The car was
beautifully balanced through the corners and was easy to
drive. I hope I will have further opportunities to get
behind the wheel as I feel it has so much potential," he
concluded.
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Andrea Montermini, who was born in 1964, at Sassulo
in Italy, shot to prominence when he finish an
excellent second in the 1992 International Formula
3000 Championship |
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Former Formula 1 driver Andrea Montermini tested
Team Racing Box's new Maserati last week at the
Adria Raceway and will lead their attack of this
year's FIA GT Championship |
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Montermini, born in 1964 at Sassulo in Italy, shot to
prominence when he finish second in the 1992 International
Formula 3000 Championship. After competing in a handful of
CART races the next year he made his Formula One debut in
1994 in a Simtek. Two further seasons with the equally
hopeless back-on-the-grid Pacific and Forti teams beckoned
before he switched categories to begin a long and varied
sportscar racing career.
Last year he drove in the Porsche Super Cup, claiming
several top three finishes, and took a strong podium finish
in the gruelling Daytona 24 Hours. At the beginning of the
was on the shortlist for the vacant third seat at Autodelta
for their European Touring Car Championship programme with
the factory Alfa Romeo 156 S2000, although this position was
eventually to be filled by young Brazilian Augusto Farfus.
Montermini is
expected to dovetail his 2005 FIA GT Championship programme
with a season in the Italian GT Championship where he will
drive a new, 2005-specification, Ferrari 575 GTC for Team
Herbeck, although this drive has still to be fully
confirmed.
Meanwhile, Team
Racing Box are a highly experienced Italian GT Championship
outfit, having run the venerable GT-class Chrysler Viper
with success for the last few seasons.
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