07.05.2007 MASERATI WIN SECOND CONSECUTIVE TOURIST TROPHY

Thomas Biagi and Mika Salo have claimed the 2007 Tourist Trophy. The event counts as the second round of the international FIA GT championship. The Vitaphone Racing Team MC12 beat off the Corvette C6R driven by Jean-Denis Deletraz and Mike Hezemans, and the sister C5R machine Anthony Kumpen and Bert Longin. This is the Vitaphone Racing Team's second consecutive win on this circuit, coming as it does on the back of Bartels and Bertolini's victory last year in the MC12.

The win propels Biagi to the head of the Drivers' classification while the Vitaphone Racing Team now lead the team series. The fine performance of the Modenese cars played a significant role in this success as they were consistent and fast throughout. The other MC12s competing also did well, especially that driven by Bertolini/Piccini. The duo made an extraordinary comeback after effecting their drive through on lap one, costing them around forty seconds. Maserati's official test driver climbed from twentieth to seventh place before handing over to Andrea Piccini. Fifth place overall is an excellent result considering the few seconds that separated the Italian team from fourth placed Wendlinger/Sharp, in an Aston Martin, at the finish.

Ramos/Montanari and Giannoccaro/Pier Guidi also fared well. Ramos/Montanari long occupied sixth spot in an event in which they maintained a regular rhythm, even holding fifth for a spell. The other Playteam Sarafree crew ended in eighth despite having the disadvantage of a drive-through for exceeding the pit lane speed limit.
 

MASERATI MC12

The win propels Thomas Biagi to the head of the Drivers' classification while the Vitaphone Racing Team now lead the team series.

MIKA SALO

Maserati has taken its second win in a row in the historic Tourist Trophy, with Thomas Biagi and Mika Salo guiding their Maserati MC12 over the Silverstone finish line at the weekend.


In the Citation Cup, the MC12s fielded by JMB Racing took second and third with, respectively, Macari and Aucott beating the sister machine of Waaijenberg and Kutemann, in a race won by Cloet and Kuismanen driving a Corvette C5R. The commissioners decided at the end of the race to inflict a thirty second penalty on Biagi/Salo’s overall time for overtaking when the yellow flag was out. However, even this was not enough to rob them of glory.

Thomas Biagi: "It was a splendid race. Mika and I drove as if in qualifying from the first to the last lap. I had a few problems with traffic that meant I lost a little time. The car was consistent throughout the weekend and in the two-hour race thanks to the team’s fine work."

Mika Salo: "It was great to get behind the wheel of the MC12 after so long, even though it was tricky getting used to a GT1 (the Finn is currently appearing in a GTS in the ALMS series) and the new rules that call for attentive use of the brakes. I am very happy. We did well during the entire weekend and it is pleasing to see my name on the Tourist Trophy."
 

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Nigel Mansell made his return to Ferrari today in the FIA GT Championship at Silverstone, the British former F1 champion had a lot of fun in the two-hour race driving a Scuderia Ecosse F430GT

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