The way has been opened for the Maserati MC12 to compete in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2007 as the Automobile Club de l'Ouest has just announced that the teams which finished in the top two places in the GT1 and GT2 categories of the 2006 FIA GT Championship will receive an invitation to take part in next year's twenty four hour race.

The inclusion of these four new invitations, in addition to the recent selection of the first twenty four cars that have fulfilled the criteria for entry, was decided after an agreement between Mr Jean-Claude Plassar, President of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest and the ASA ACO of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Stephane Ratel, Chairman of SRO, Promoter of the FIA GT Championship.

The teams which will receive the invitations are: Vitaphone Racing Team and Aston Martin Racing BMS from the GT1 class, and AF Corse and Scuderia Ecosse in GT2. The cars entered must be in conformity with the ACO Cahier des Charges. This brings the number of pre-selected cars up to 28. These competitors must confirm their participation by January 8th 2007. Already handed entries by the ACO for next year's race are Corvette Racing (2 entries), Aston Martin Racing (1), Aston Martin Racing/Larbre (1) and the Convers Menx team (1).
 

Stephane Ratel commented: "As Administrator of the Le Mans Series, and Promoter of the FIA GT Championship, I feel it is essential that these two series should be able to grow in harmony, while each retaining its specific characteristics. I would like to thank the Automobile Club de l'Ouest and its President for the section of the four teams who, thanks to their brilliant results in a particularly high-level 2006 FIA GT Championship, definitely deserve a place on the starting grid of the world's most important Endurance race."

The Maserati MC12 has endurance racing successes, with Vitaphone Racing, under its belt already as it won the 24 Hours of Spa in 2005 and 2006. It also took part in the stateside 12 Hours of Sebring last year. However due to fundamental differences of opinion with the ACO, the Maserati MC12 has not been able to take part in the Le Mans 24 Hours, despite its run of success in frontline European sports car racing.