Maserati will return to red. The Trident will field a GranSport Trofeo in red livery, the Italian classical racing colour, in the next 24 Hour of Nürburgring, on the legendary German circuit that measures 22 kilometres.

Red was the colour employed by Italian competition cars before the advent of sponsors. Red was the colour in which Juan Manuel Fangio took the 1957 F1 world title in his Maserati 250 F at the Nordschleife, universally considered the greatest of his career. Red was also the colour of the Maserati 300 S that was victorious in the 1000 kilometres of Nürburgring with the extraordinary crew of Moss-Behra-Taruffi-Schell at the wheel.  The colour of the Maserati GranSport Trofeo is the same hue as that in which the Modenese company won these races. The vehicles, like Fangio’s championship winning 250 F, were further enhanced by yellow piping around the grille.

In the driving seat of the GranSport Trofeo in the official competition will be the French star, Jacques Laffite. He will be flanked by the Italian Gianni Giudici, American Patrick Hong and Englishman Richard Meaden. Maserati will be going back to the past in one respect but will innovate and look to the future in another. The “Maserati R&D Factory Team” will line up for the 24 Hour in a GranSport “Laboratorio”. This vehicle is the sole example on which experimental solutions are tested before their possible introduction on racing and standard models. Among the modifications on the car is the new carbon fibre driveshaft with a new sequential gearbox.

The GranSport “Laboratorio” features the team Vitaphone livery in which the House of the Trident won the 2005 24 Hours of Spa and the Constructors’ Cup in the 2005 FIA GT Championship. At the wheel alternated Andrea Bertolini, German Michael Bartels, Belgian Eric Van de Poele and the gentleman driver, Gianni Giudici (who appeared in two cars.) Both vehicles are equipped with Pirelli tyres, with which Maserati has renewed its partnership agreement for a further two years. Yesterday, in the rain, the cars made their debut on the Adria circuit for a test session that continued today, ahead of the German race.

“The 24 Hour of Nürburgring is a great challenge for us”, declared Giorgio Ascanelli, Maserati Corse’s Technical Director. “Crossing the finish line will be the main aim. We have prepared the cars in order to prove the reliability of Maserati vehicles. The GranSport Trofeo and the GranSport “Laboratorio” were not designed with only performance mind but also with safety paramount for taking on circuits like Nürburgring.

"The GranSport Trofeo is also very similar to the standard model and in this extreme competition it will be fully put to the test. However, this is the type of challenge that Maserati is looking for. The “Laboratorio” car is developed on the base of the already well tested GranSport GT3, a model to which we have made some changes in order to bring it into line with the DMSB-24 Hour regulations in force at Nürburgring. The realisation of the project was concluded in a few short months, thanks to the advanced planning system and experience gained in GT competition."

Jaques Laffite was also pleased with the two day test session at Adria commented: “I am satisfied, firstly at coming back to Maserati, a fine Marque that constructs marvellous vehicles. The GranSport Trofeo is perfect for this race. It has a lively engine and an easy handling that will be useful in the 24 Hour. Second, it is Nürburgring we are talking about. This is one of my favourite tracks and where I have won in many different categories. However, the 24 Hour is one event I am missing and so I eagerly accepted Maserati’s offer."