2012 Maserati Trofeo Season Review by Omnia Eventi

2012 SEASON REVIEW

Index 06...............................Round 1 Jarama 20.05.2012 - JARAMA

03.06.2012 - PORTIMAO

16.........................Round 2 Portimao 26......................Round 3 Imola 38.....................Round 4 Paul Ricard 48....................Round 5 Sonoma 60....................Round 6 Shanghai 70..................................................................The Winners

24.06.2012 - IMOLA

22.07.2012 - PAUL RICARD

74........................................................Hospitality 76...................................................Drivers 84..............................................Partners 88............................................From race to road 92...........................................Classification

23.09.2012 - SONOMA

04.11.2012 - SHANGHAI

Maserati Corse Via delle Nazioni, 60 - 41122 Modena www.maseraticorse.com

Texts: www.oecom.it Ghaphic design: www.invalanzoni.it Photo Credits: Maserati/Mario Chiarappa - Angelo Corradini

The Trofeo Maserati on the world stage The new Maserati Trofeo MC World Series is ready to go. Now in its third year, Maserati’s single-make series has made a number of big changes for 2012, the biggest of which have been to the race calendar. Now, the European boundaries have been broken with events programmed for the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, and the F1 circuit in Shanghai, China. The championship can now be called truly ‘global’. Maserati will take care of running the series. The all-inclusive format suits gentleman drivers and those who want to race high-performance cars from a marque that has long been associated with motor racing. The 2012 season officially gets underway with tests at Vallelunga to kick off a series won by David Baldi in 2011. The two test days will see around forty drivers from twelve countries trying out the new car. There will be drivers from Italy, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, England, Germany, Monaco, San Marino, Hungary and the United Arab Emirates taking part. The first round in the series is scheduled for 20 May at Jarama, Spain. It is then on to Portimao, Portugal, on 3 June, Imola (Italy) on 24 June, and Paul Ricard (France) on 22 July. Then come the two events that wrap up the season: in North America, on 23 September, and Asia on 4 November. The GranTurismo MC’s new set up, featuring an aerodynamic bodykit and reduced weight, will make it more competitive. During test sessions held during the winter break, the car showed that its performance was much better as it lapped quicker than the 2011 version. The 2012 races are also new, with two formats to be run: the standard 40 minute event will be run for three rounds with the other three rounds made up of endurance event with two 30 minute and one 50 minute event. The 50 minute races will feature a compulsory pit stop and driver change for cars crewed by two drivers.

Round 1 - Jarama Victories for Romagnoli and Sernagiotto in the first round of the Maserati Trofeo Riccardo Romagnoli and Giorgio Sernagiotto added two wins to the pole positions they secured in qualifying for the Maserati Trofeo MC World series. This weekendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s action is taking at jarama, spain, and features 23 crews from 10 countries (Italy, Spain, Monaco, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, Switzerland, Australia and Morocco).

The 2012 Maserati GranTurismo MC Trofeo series is ready to take off Let battle start.

20.05.2012 - JARAMA

Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) gets off on the wrong foot. A tactical gamble at Jarama fails to pay off and he is out of the fight for the top spots

Riccardo Romagnoli and Giorgio Sernagiotto added two wins to the pole positions they secured in qualifying for the Maserati Trofeo MC World Series. This weekend’s action is taking at Jarama, Spain, and features 23 crews from 10 countries (Italy, Spain, Monaco, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, Switzerland, Australia and Morocco). Race 1 saw Romagnoli sprint off pole, extend into a seven-second lead, but only just hold off Cedric Sbirrazzuoli at the finish. The Monacobased driver adopted a wait-and-see strategy to keep his tyres in decent shape for a final effort. Unfortunately for him, a combination of Romagnoli’s defence and taking too long to lap a back marker saw his chances of victory vanish. Renaud Kuppens took an even bigger gamble by opting to change into slicks when the track was still wet; the rain had only just stopped coming down. The move saw the Belgium forced to give up his original third on the grid for a pit lane start at the very back of the field.

Romagnoli (1) versus Sbirrazzuoli (2): +0,137 seconds

The first win of the 2012 season goes to Riccardo Romagnoli.

Alan Simoni took third with a solid drive completed by holding off Andrea Dromedari at the end. Australian Richard Denny also put on a fine show to finish fifth with Moroccan Ismail Sbai coming home sixth. First across the line in Race 2 was poleman Giorgio Sernagiotto after managing his lead from start to finish. Behind him came Andrea Dromedari with Moroccan Youssaf El Marnissi securing an unexpected third. Also among the leading drivers were Renaud Kuppens (fourth), Andrea Gardelli and Australian Richard Denny. The race was interrupted by the safety car coming on to help Sergio Garcia: the Mediaset journalist had ended up in a dangerous spot after suffering problems with his car. Garcia’s colleague, Jaime Hernandez, who writes for Marca Motor and El Mundo, had earlier finished eighth in Race 1. With the Jarama meet out of the way, the Overall classification, standings that are this year also open to Teams, is headed jointly by Fascicolo/Sernagiotto and Andrea Dromedari (Swiss Team) on 25 points.

Moroccan driver Youssaf El Marnissi did well in Race 2 on the Spanish circuit, closing out in third place.

20.05.2012 - JARAMA

Pit & Paddock Riccardo Romagnoli: “The track was really slippery because of the rain. This caused me a few problems in finding the ideal racing line. Once into my stride I tried to build a big enough lead to see it through but, towards the end, I realised that Sbirrazzuoli had managed to catch me. I had no option but to hold onto my position until the chequered flag. The Trofeo Maserati could not have started any better”.

Giorgio Sernagiotto: “When you take pole and then go on to win it is a special feeling because if you get the victory it means you really were quickest. It is even better if it all happens on such a demanding and eye-catching circuit like Jarama. I wanted to build up an advantage from the start but then the safety car ruined my plans. Luckily, I managed to slot back into a groove and finish the race out in front”.

Giorgio Sernagiotto - Giuseppe Fascicolo’s team mate – takes Race 2 at Jarama.

20.05.2012 - JARAMA

At each race weekend, Maserati organised events dedicated to its clients. At Jarama, the famous circuit just outside Madrid, Spain, Maserati offered selected guests the chance to watch the Trofeo Maserati races, chat with the drivers, take in the pit lane atmosphere and relax in Maseratiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hospitality area. The guests also tested a range of Maseratis on the track, guided by expert instructors.

Adrien De Leener focuses as steps up his preparation. Drivers are in the zone when they get ready to go out, replaying each curve mentally and deciding on the best trajectory. German Andreas Segler shows that attention levels never drop between track workouts as split times are pored over.

20.05.2012 - JARAMA

The permanent circuit of Jarama was the first of its kind in Spain. The track hosted the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix nine times between 1968 and 1981.

Race Results 1 - Overall Standings 01 2 Riccardo Romagnoli 40:27.493 02 36 Cedric Sbirrazzuoli (AF Corse) +0.137 03 23 Alan Simoni +22.333 04 11 Andrea Dromedari (Swiss Team) +23.133 05 15 Richard Denny +1:08.969 06 35 Ismail Sbai +1:10.207 07 7 Giuseppe Fascicolo +1:14.545 08 33 Jaime Hernandez +1:19.305 09 51 Tiziano Cappelletti +1:31.819 10 12 Fabrizio Macchitella +1:48.642 11 37 Youssaf El Marnissi +1 lap 12 6 Alberto Vescovi +1 lap 13 3 Mads Rasmussen +1 lap 14 56 Thomas Herpell +1 lap 15 34 Carlos Rodriguez Quiroga +1 lap 16 98 Daniel Waszczinski (Konvex Motorsport) +1 lap 17 14 Adrien De Leener +1 lap 18 10 Anita Toth +2 laps 19 50 Alberto Nicolucci +2 laps 20 99 Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) +3 laps 21 5 Andreas Segler not classified 22 66 Fabio Venier not classified 23 4 Fabio Debeaumont not classified

Race Results 2 - Overall Standings 01 7 Giorgio Sernagiotto 41:23.899 02 11 Andrea Dromedari (Swiss Team) +8.991 03 37 Youssaf El Marnissi +11.842 04 99 Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) +12.498 05 66 Andrea Gardelli +13.033 06 23 Riccardo Ragazzi +19.343 07 15 Richard Denny +23.154 08 2 Edo Varini +30.309 09 12 Fabrizio Macchitella +36.640 10 36 Alessandro Chionna (AF Corse) +37.304 11 34 Alvaro Rodriguez Quiroga +57.858 12 51 Stefano Garelli +1:15.141 13 3 Mads Rasmussen +1:32.722 14 98 Daniel Waszczinski (Konvex Motorsport) +1 lap 15 50 Alberto Nicolucci +1 lap 16 14 Pierre Marie De Leener +2 laps 17 10 Bela Csiszer +3 laps 18 4 Blumax not classified 19 56 Thomas Herpell not classified 20 6 Alberto Vescovi not classified 21 33 Sergio Garcia not classified 22 5 Andreas Segler not classified 23 35 Larbi Tadloui not classified

20.05.2012 - JARAMA

Round 2 - Portimao Tigh at the top, excitement on the track. Giorgio Sernagiotto and Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) secured races 2 and 3 at the second round of the maserati trofeo mc world series. The portuguese circuit of Portimao was the stage on which 23 crews took to the track this weekend. This round witnessed two exciting races on the sunday after Cedric Sbirrazzuoli, from AF Corse, had stormed to victory on the saturday.

03.06.2012 - PORTIMAO

The Race Continual lead changes and tight midfield battles characterised the weekend’s first two events, both run over 30 minutes. Giorgio Sernagiotto, in pole, saw Alan Simoni and then young Joe Ghanem speed past at turn 1. After the safety car had been called for following a lap 2 collision between Gardelli, Cappelletti and El Marnissi, the trio up front stretched into a lead over the chasing pack. In the group, the one driver catching the eye was Riccardo Romagnoli as he made a comeback from the rear of the field. Joe Ghanem tried to get past Simoni on lap seven but the two came together and Simoni was forced to quit with a broken left rear suspension. Making the most of the crash was Giorgio Sernagiotto who managed to overtake Ghanem into top spot despite having lost his bonnet. Sernagiotto had just about enough to hold off Riccardo Romagnoli at the finish; Romagnoli had done brilliantly to outdo Kuppens and then Ghanem to pressure Sernagiotto right to the end. Ghanem again came third, this time behind Sernagiotto and Romagnoli, as he put on another brave display to fend off Kuppens’ last ditch attacks. The first 50-minute endurance race of the season was also a gripping fight (in this event there is a compulsory pit stop as well as a driver change for crewed cars). In the end it was Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) who came out on top.

Losing his bonnet did not prevent Sernagiotto winning Race 2 at Portimao ahead of Romagnoli.

Next up was Joe Ghanem, just 2.091 seconds down, and the Alan Simoni/Riccardo Ragazzi duo, third and 15.772 seconds off the winning time. The early part of the race was especially tight with the top six drivers bunched up: Riccardo Romagnoli was leading from Gardelli, Ragazzi, Sernagiotto, Kuppens and Ghanem. The race order was always changing with the drivers really going for it. The pit stops changed the face of the race. First out of the pit lane was Renaud Kuppens, gaining the precious few seconds on Joe Ghanem that he held until the finish. Behind them came Alan Simoni, who had replaced Riccardo Ragazzi, as he comfortably secured third ahead of Gardelli/Venier and Romagnoli/Varini. Next up came the Sernagiotto/Fascicolo crew, giving them an overall series lead on 55 points with Romagnoli/Varini and Renaud Kuppens seconds on 53.

Kuppens fights off Venier’s repeated attacks.

Auto Express journalist Owen Mildenhall, appearing as a guest of Maserati Trofeo World Series, classified eighth in Races 1 and 2 and came tenth in Race 3. 03.06.2012 - PORTIMAO

‘Love me two times’ sung The Doors, Andreas Segler’s favourite band. Segler has had ‘Jim Morrison’ as a team mate for the last three years.

Pit & Paddock Giorgio Sernagiotto: “There was much more action in this race compared to Jarama. I didn’t get off to a good start and was overtaken by Simoni and Ghanem. Then I lost my bonnet but made the most of Simoni dropping out to edge past Ghanem. I took the lead and held on to the end despite Romagnoli’s great comeback. I am pleased and think that the series is an exciting one that will go to the wire”. Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport): “It was an enjoyable race but a long one because fifty minutes is a long time behind the wheel. I put in a great lap before the pit stop, left the pits first and kept the lead until the finish. Still, it wasn’t easy because there was a lot of traffic out there and I lost a bit of time but I got the win and am very happy”.

The Portimao schedule included the first endurance event with an mandatory 45-second pit stop and driver change for crewed cars.

03.06.2012 - PORTIMAO

Races never end. Once out of race suits, the Maserati Trofeo drivers are ready for a scrap in the karts. The challenges are often livelier than the Trofeo races and have even seen mechanics and Maserati staff take part.

33 is a number rich in significance for Maserati. Maserati sported the number again on circuits around the globe on the Maserati MC12 in 2004. The car dominated the FIA GT championship.

Grid girls await the drivers on the start line. Their job is to indicate the carsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; starting position. It is a part of the preparation that the public particularly enjoys.

03.06.2012 - PORTIMAO

Thomas Herpell speeds past the packed stands at Portimao.

Race Results 2 - Overall Standings 01 7 Giorgio Sernagiotto 30:05.382 02 2 Riccardo Romagnoli +1.166 03 25 Joe Ghanem +5.122 04 99 Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) +5.569 05 11 Andrea Dromedari (Swiss Team) +11.110 06 35 Ismail Sbai +33.651 07 5 Andreas Segler +36.448 08 33 Owen Mildenhall +36.530 09 36 Alessandro Chionna (AF Corse) +36.822 10 15 Richard Denny +39.309 11 66 Andrea Gardelli +48.912 12 26 Tani Hanna +1:01.315 13 50 Tiziano Frazza +1:01.896 14 3 Mads Rasmussen +1:03.504 15 56 Thomas Herpell +1:04.435 16 24 Jaime Carbò Fernandez +1:24.322 17 10 Bela Csiszer +1:29.416 18 14 Adrien De Leener +1:36.066 19 98 Daniel Waszczinski (Konvex Motorsport) +2 laps 20 23 Alan Simoni not classified 21 28 Larbi Tadlaoui not classified 22 51 Tiziano Cappelletti not classified 23 37 Youssaf El Marnissi not classified

Race Results 1 - Overall Standings 01 36 Cedric Sbirrazzuoli (AF Corse) 30:40.758 02 23 Riccardo Ragazzi +8.291 03 25 Joe Ghanem +9.914 04 66 Fabio Venier +13.463 05 99 Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) +32.392 06 51 Stefano Garelli +37.873 07 2 Edo Varini +41.445 08 33 Owen Mildenhall +42.644 09 35 Ismail Sbai +51.062 10 7 Giuseppe Fascicolo +52.819 11 15 Richard Denny +1:00.927 12 37 Youssaf El Marnissi +1:22.185 13 56 Thomas Herpell +1:38.369 14 14 Pierre Marie De Leener +2:00.353 15 5 Andreas Segler +2:07.759 16 26 Tani Hanna +2:13.413 17 98 Daniel Waszczinski (Konvex Motorsport) +1 lap 18 10 Anita Toth +1 lap 19 24 Jaime Carbò Fernandez +1 lap 20 50 Alberto Nicolucci +2 laps 21 28 Larbi Tadlaoui not classified 22 3 Mads Rasmussen not classified

Race Results 3 - Overall Standings 01 99 Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) 51:17.878 02 25 Joe Ghanem +2.091 03 23 Alan Simoni +15.772 04 66 Fabio Venier +28.427 05 2 Edo Varini +32.997 06 7 Giuseppe Fascicolo +35.851 07 15 Richard Denny +49.459 08 11 Andrea Dromedari (Swiss Team) +50.960 09 37 Youssaf El Marnissi +1:10.977 10 33 Owen Mildenhall +1:12.219 11 5 Andreas Segler +1:42.851 12 28 Larbi Tadlaoui +2:07.923 13 26 Tani Hanna +1 lap 14 24 Jaime Carbò Fernandez +1 lap 15 56 Thomas Herpell +1 lap 16 14 Adrien De Leener +1 lap 17 35 Ismail Sbai +1 lap 18 36 Cedric Sbirrazzuoli (AF Corse) +2 laps 19 10 Bela Csiszer +2 laps 20 50 Alberto Nicolucci +2 laps 21 3 Mads Rasmussen +3 laps 22 51 Tiziano Cappelletti not classified 23 98 Daniel Waszczinski (Konvex Motorsport) not classified

03.06.2012 - PORTIMAO

Round 3 - Imola Kuppens leads in the Trofeo Maserati Renaud Kuppens, representing Konvex Motorsport, leads the Overall standings in the Maserati Trofeo MC World Series thanks to a win and two third places at Imola. Twenty-five Maserati GranTurismo MC Trofeos took to the track for the third round of the season, with 36 drivers from 12 countries taking part.

A few minutes to start time. The mechanics, staff and journalists leave. The drivers are alone on the grid.

24.06.2012 - IMOLA

The Race The races were exciting with three different drivers taking top spots: guest driver Luca Lorenzini, in Race 1 on Saturday afternoon - he did not pick up any points meaning the win went to AF Corse’s Cedric Sbirrazzuoli. Riccardo Ragazzi was first in Race 2 this morning and Kuppens in Race 3, in the 50-minute endurance event. Riccardo Ragazzi, appearing for the first time in the Maserati single-make series, secured the day’s first race. He crossed the line ahead of Giorgio Sernagiotto and Renaud Kuppens. The early stages saw Romagnoli in aggressive form as he tried, without any luck, to overtake the Belgian. Sernagiotto made the most of the duel to attack and get past the Italian to move into third place. Things were decided on lap 11, in the stretch of track between Piratella and Acque Minerali, when Sernagiotto pulled up alongside Kuppens and edged ahead of him. Romagnoli also tried to get by but Kuppens defended his position.

Riccardo Ragazzi steams towards a first series win. The Italian, partnering Alan Simoni, has the championship lead in his sights.

The two clashed and the Italian ended up in a spin. Romagnoli’s race was over but, fortunately, Kuppens was able to continue. From there to the chequered flag things remained unchanged meaning that Riccardo Ragazzi topped the podium followed by Sernagiotto and Kuppens. Max Pigoli, making his debut in the Swiss Team Trofeo, came fourth, ahead of Venier and Garelli. The endurance race, held in the afternoon, saw Kuppens build an early lead. Things were much tighter in this event starting from the clash between Max Pigoli and Alan Simoni not long after the start. The young driver from Ferrara came off worst and slipped to last spot but did amazingly well to climb back up to sixth by the driver change. It was non-stop action in the 50-minute race: Pigoli was slapped with a stop-and-go for a false start, as was Ragazzi for coming into contact with Sernagiotto just after the compulsory pit stop. Luca Lorenzini, sharing the drive with Autosprint director Alberto Sabbatini, was forced out with a suspension problem when fighting for a leading spot. Stefano Garelli also bowed out when in second, just a few curves before the finish. The race also saw the AF Corse crew of Sbirrazzuoli/Chionna lose ground because of a drive-through imposed by race officials for not respecting the pit-stop time limit. In the end it was Kuppens who dominated: he finished 58’’ up on the second-placed car crewed by Andrea Dromedari/Max Pigoli. Third across the line were Simoni/ Ragazzi and then came a surprising Bakker/Serafino, who had started from the back of the grid. In fifth were Fascicolo/Sernagiotto whose transmission problems cost them a podium place and saw the series lead taken by Kuppens. Riccardo Ragazzi: “I tried to set the pace at the start of Race 2 and build a lead. The drivers chasing me were quick and I hoped that they would get into a private battle but they kept right on my tail. Kuppens closed in but then dropped back again, depending on the section of track we were on. Luckily for me, Sernagiotto started hounding him and the fight between the two allowed me to create a gap. I started pushing on, as I did in qualifying. I had a bit of trouble with the back markers towards the end but then took an encouraging win”. Renaud Kuppens: “I tried to give my all right from the start in the afternoon race. I stepped on the gas and tried to build an advantage. My only concern was how to deal with the back markers; this morning I missed out on second because of the drivers at the back of the field. Luckily it didn’t happen again, 40 minutes in, I relaxed. Thanks to this win I now lead the Overall standings”.

Renaud Kuppens takes the chequered flag in Race 3. Imola was the turning point in Kuppens’ season: thanks to this win, two thirds and a second spot, he moved into the Overall lead.

24.06.2012 - IMOLA

Maserati Hospitality, kitted out for each race by the marqueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s staff, has, for all three years in the Trofeo, been a meeting place for drivers, clients, guests, friends and journalists. It is an exclusive and elegant way to take in races. It is also a place where drivers and engineers can analyse telemetry data and see where lap times can be improved; sometimes it can make the difference.

24.06.2012 - IMOLA

At each race, drivers and engineers set aside some time to study the telemetry. The endurance event was again held at Imola where, as well as the two 30-minute races, the drivers competed in a longer race that included an mandatory pit stop. Drivers who do not respect the regulations, or who pit outside the allotted window, are hit with a drive-through. The rules are outlined during technical briefings that all the drivers have to attend.

Engineers acquire data to understand how the cars behave. This is crucial feedback for the mechanics tasked with setting up the cars to perform to the same level for each driver.

Kuppens, left, celebrates winning Race 3 on the podium at Imola.

24.06.2012 - IMOLA

Luca Lorenzini, the driver trained on consoles, takes to the track after winning a video-game competition and surprises everyone by taking Race 1.

Race Results 1 - Overall Standings 01 33 Luca Lorenzini 30:44.617 02 36 Cedric Sbirrazzuoli (AF Corse) +6.255 03 99 Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) +7.505 04 51 Stefano Garelli +7.787 05 66 Andrea Gardelli +10.061 06 37 Youssaf El Marnissi +27.466 07 11 Andrea Dromedari (Swiss Team) +28.057 08 7 Giuseppe Fascicolo +1:14.884 09 40 Alessandro Pierguidi +1:15.364 10 98 Daniel Waszczinski (Konvex Motorsport) +1:19.415 11 28 Larbi Tadlaoui +1:24.150 12 5 Andreas Segler +1:24.389 13 34 Guenther Forster +1:42.182 14 14 Adrien De Leener +1:47.067 15 4 Per Nielsen +1:47.774 16 3 Mads Rasmussen +1 lap 17 43 Marcel Pawlicek (Marcel Pawlicek) +1 lap 18 2 Edo Varini +3 laps 19 10 Anita Toth +3 laps 20 56 Thomas Herpell +4 laps 21 23 Alan Simoni +5 laps 22 8 Ferdinando Serafino +7 laps 23 15 Richard Denny +8 laps 24 19 Roberto Sorti not classified 25 35 Ismail Sbai not classified

Race Results 2 - Overall Standings 01 23 Riccardo Ragazzi 30:24.395 02 7 Giorgio Sernagiotto +2.560 03 99 Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) +4.915 04 11 Max Pigoli (Swiss Team) +14.999 05 66 Fabio Venier +18.202 06 51 Stefano Garelli +22.273 07 19 David Durante +24.661 08 37 Youssaf El Marnissi +39.027 09 15 Richard Denny +46.195 10 36 Alessandro Chionna (AF Corse) +49.087 11 33 Alberto Sabbatini +56.905 12 35 Ismail Sbai +59.431 13 5 Andreas Segler +1:03.276 14 34 Guenther Forster +1:34.952 15 56 Thomas Herpell +1 lap 16 3 Mads Rasmussen +1 lap 17 14 Marie De Leener +1 lap 18 50 Alberto Nicolucci +1 lap 19 43 Marcel Pawlicek (Marcel Pawlicek) +1 lap 20 10 Bela Csiszer +1 lap 21 2 Riccardo Romagnoli +4 laps 22 28 Larbi Tadlaoui +5 laps 23 4 Per Nielsen not classified 24 8 Mathijs Bakker not classified 25 98 Daniel Waszczinski Konvex Motorsport) not classified 26 40 Alessandro Pierguidi not classified

Race Results 3 - Overall Standings 01 99 Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) 50:53.319 02 11 Andrea Dromedari / Max Pigoli (Swiss Team) +58.064 03 23 Riccardo Ragazzi / Alan Simoni +1:11.179 04 8 Mathijs Bakker / Ferdinando Serafino +1:25.352 05 7 Giuseppe Fascicolo / Giorgio Sernagiotto +1:44.527 06 98 Daniel Waszczinski (Konvex Motorsport) +1 lap 07 5 Andreas Segler +1 lap 08 34 Guenther Forster +1 lap 09 56 Thomas Herpell +1 lap 10 14 Pierre Marie De Leener / Adrien De Leener +1 lap 11 35 Ismail Sbai +1 lap 12 19 Roberto Sorti / Davide Durante +1 lap 13 4 Per Nielsen +1 lap 14 3 Mads Rasmussen +1 lap 15 66 Fabio Venier / Andrea Gardelli +1 lap 16 10 Bela Csiszer / Anita Toth +3 laps 17 15 Richard Denny +3 laps 18 51 Stefano Garelli +4 laps 19 2 Riccardo Romagnoli / Edo Varini +7 laps 20 36 Cedric Sbirrazzuoli / Alessandro Chionna (AF Corse) +7 laps 21 33 Alberto Sabbatini / Luca Lorenzini +12 laps 22 37 Youssaf El Marnissi not classified 23 28 Larbi Tadlaoui not classified

26 50 Alberto Nicolucci not classified

24.06.2012 - IMOLA

The No.33 Maserati GranTurismo MC Trofeo, featuring Bowers & Wilkins livery, hosts two journalists at Paul Ricard: German Christian Gebardt and Shinichi Katsura, from Japan. Katsura also appeared in the post-race kart challenge.

Round 4 - Paul Ricard Kuppens crowned European Maserati Trofeo Champion Renaud kuppens, from Konvex Motorsport, has been crowned European MaseratiÂ Trofeo Champion. The belgian came out on top after the dust had settled on the fourth round, held at the french circuit of Paul Ricard.

22.07.2012 - PAUL RICARD

It is period of the Olympics and the Trofeo drivers are also on the home straight… to claiming the Trofeo Europa.

Kuppens’ second spot in Race 1 was enough to see him across the line, and, even though he was forced to retire from Race 2, he still tops the Overall standings in the Maserati Trofeo MC World Series. This round sees the European stages come to an end; the scene now shifts to the United States and China. Sharing the limelight with Kuppens were Sernagiotto and Andrea Dromedari, winners of Race 1 and 2, respectively. Sernagiatto’s morning win was only in doubt towards the end when Cedric Sbirrazzuoli (AF Corse) very nearly caught him. Sbirrazzuoli’s victory bid was put to bed on lap 12 after he tried to get round Sernagiotto, who was slowing down to ease past Nicolucci, a back marker. Sbirrazzuoli and Nicolucci ended up clashing with the AF Corse driver coming off worse. The way was now clear for Renaud Kuppens and Alan Simoni to make second and third their one. Sernagiotto’s win fuelled his partner’s (Giuseppe Fascicolo) thoughts of taking the European title in Race 2. When Kuppens pulled out early on, things seemed to be going the Italian’s way but, in the end, he could do no better than finish fifth. The second race of the day was more exciting with the win eventually being taken by Andrea Dromedari (Swiss Team). Chasing the podium slots for much of the race were Riccardo Ragazzi, Fabio Venier, Riccardo Romagnoli and Ange Barde (four-time winner of the European Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli). When the curtain came down it was Ragazzi and Venier who took the runners-up spots behind the Swiss Team driver. Barde, who had crossed the line second, was hit with a 45-second penalty that saw him relegated to 11th. The decision to slap him with the penalty came after he failed to complete a drive through for clashing with Romagnoli. Konvex Motorsport’s Kuppens and Daniel Waszczinski now hold the lead in the Team series from Dromedari and Pigoli (Swiss Team). In the Trofeo, Simoni and Ragazzi head Sernagiotto/Fascicolo and Venier/Gardelli. The two guest drivers in the Bowers & Wilkins VIP car had a varied time of it: Christian Gebhardt, the German journalist from Auto Sport magazine, retired from Race 1 on lap 14 when in seventh while his Japanese team mate, Shinichi Katsura from Genroq magazine, finished Race 2 in tenth. The Maserati GranTurismo MC Trofeo that will appear in the United States was unveiled during the weekend. The car’s special livery celebrates the next round in Maserati’s single-make series, one programmed for 23 September at Infineon, in Sonoma. The grand finale will be held on 4 November in Shanghai, China. These two final events round off the series in a truly global way.

Dromedari overjoyed at winning Race 2 at Paul Ricard.

22.07.2012 - PAUL RICARD

Ange Barde, on his championship debut, crosses the line second in Race 2. However, race officials relegated him to eleventh (with a 45-second penalty) for not completing a drive-through.

22.07.2012 - PAUL RICARD

Katsura has to bow out of the kart race with engine problems.

Japanese driver Shinichi Katsura assisted by his mechanic. The two are in perfect harmony.

The Paddock operates like clockwork but there is also time to have some fun. There is always time to play a joke, even during official photos: Justino Azcarate tries to ‘do’ Jaime Carbò Fernandez.

Drivers also have to pass the media test: they have one-to-one.

22.07.2012 - PAUL RICARD

Maserati also put on exclusive events in France with the opportunity to watch the race from the paddock. There was also the chance to put the Maseratis through their paces on the track where the Trofeo race was run.

Race Results 1 - Overall Standings 01 7 Giorgio Sernagiotto 41:21.279 02 99 Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) +5.502 03 23 Alan Simoni +8.795 04 11 Max Pigoli (Swiss Team) +10.237 05 66 Andrea Gardelli +24.190 06 2 Riccardo Romagnoli +29.167 07 15 Richard Denny +52.471 08 14 Adrien De Leener +56.680 09 6 Johnny Laursen +1:03.623 10 5 Andreas Segler +1:21.094 11 3 Mads Rasmussen +1:22.421 12 98 Daniel Waszczinski (Konvex Motorsport) +1:36.451 13 25 Justino Azcarate +1:51.921 14 56 Thomas Herpell +1:56.469 15 4 Per Nielsen +1:57.742 16 28 Guenther Forster +2:02.558 17 24 Jaime CarbĂ˛ Fernandez +2:25.185 18 10 Anita Toth +1 lap 19 8 Mathijs Bakker +1 lap 20 51 Stefano Garelli +2 laps 21 33 Christian Gebhardt not classified 22 36 Cedric Sbirrazzuoli (AF Corse) not classified 23 50 Alberto Nicolucci not classified 24 88 Ange Barde not classified

Race Results 2 - Overall Standings 01 11 Andrea Dromedari (Swiss Team) 41:38.958 02 23 Riccardo Ragazzi +10.742 03 66 Fabio Venier +12.145 04 2 Riccardo Romagnoli +17.127 05 7 Giuseppe Fascicolo +26.432 06 8 Mathijs Bakker +28.024 07 51 Samuele Buttarelli +37.222 08 25 Justino Azcarate +40.956 09 15 Richard Denny +41.278 10 33 Shinici Katsura +42.287 11 88 Ange Barde +45.609 12 5 Andreas Segler +1:00.341 13 3 Mads Rasmussen +1:03.742 14 6 Johnny Laursen +1:07.715 15 28 Guenther Forster +1:24.103 16 56 Thomas Herpell +1:25.077 17 98 Daniel Waszczinski (Konvex Motorsport) +1:53.246 18 4 Per Nielsen +1 lap 19 10 Bela Csiszer +1 lap 20 14 Adrien De Leener +1 lap 21 36 Alessandro Chionna (AF Corse) not classified 22 24 Jaime CarbĂ˛ Fernandez not classified 23 99 Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) not classified

22.07.2012 - PAUL RICARD

Round 5 - Sonoma The Stars and Stripes welcome the Trofeo Sonoma (Usa), 23 september 2012 – the us round in the Maserati Trofeo MC World Series was a triumph for Renaud Kuppens. Konvex Motorsport’s belgian driver heads home from Sonoma with two wins and two pole positions. The only blot on his record is saturday’s puncture that forced him out of race 1 while leading; without it his championship lead could have been even greater.

23.09.2012 - SONOMA

The Race With this one-two, Kuppens builds on his Trofeo Europa win and, with just one round left, now has one hand on the world title. Heading into the final round, in China in November, Kuppens sits on 168 points in the Overall standings. Next up is Fascicolo/Sernagiotto on 144 points and Simoni/Ragazzi on 138. Race 2 was only decided over the closing laps when Sernagiotto tried to sneak past Kuppens. A clash was inevitable and it came on the hairpin leading into the start-finish straight. Sernagiotto emerged first but, to avoid being disqualified, he had to let his rival through, handing victory to Kuppens. Behind them came the American Johannes Van Overbeek ahead of Alan Simoni. The endurance race, with its compulsory pit stop, saw Kuppens cruise to the finish line. He dominated and put 12.919 seconds between him and the Venezuelan Alex Popow, North American champion in the 2012 Le Mans Prototype Series. The last podium slot was taken by Swiss Teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Andrea Dromedari and Max Pigoli, despite an untidy drive through the final curves and a clash with Ragazzi on the straight. The 50-minute event was held up when the safety car made an appearance, allowing Greg Tracy and Cedric Sbirrazzuoli cars to be removed after they crashed at turn one. In all, twenty-three Maserati GranTurismo MC Trofeos appeared at Sonoma. The thirty-three drivers hailed from fourteen countries (Belgium, Switzerland, USA, Columbia, Morocco, Canada, Venezuela, Italy, Australia, Monaco, Sweden, Holland, Germany and Denmark). Among them was American actor Patrick Dempsey, a driver who was very popular with the fans over the entire weekend. Dempsey was in the No.33 Bowers & Wilkins car together with stuntman Greg Tracy. The two picked up sixth place in (Dempsey in Race 1) and tenth (Tracy in Race 2). Tracy crashed out of the final event.

In car No.20 were two home drivers: Johannes Van Overbeek and Mike Hedlund.

23.09.2012 - SONOMA

Sonomaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Infineon Raceway, situated close to San Francisco, also includes a drag-racing strip. The race circuit features curves that rise and fall and is one of the five Nascar events not held on an oval.

Felipe Merjech battling with the No. 66 car driven by Fabio Venier and Andrea Gardelli. Behind them Mathijs Baker tries to muscle in.

23.09.2012 - SONOMA

A fine view of Maseratiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hospitality area at Sonoma.

The United States is Maseratiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s number one market and the interest in the marque was very high in America. Enthusiasts, fans and journalists were welcomed to the Sonoma circuit, not far from San Francisco. Even this far from home, Maserati has written important chapters in motor-racing history: the 8CT Boyle Special claimed the 1939 and 1940 Indy 500 and the marque picked up two straight wins at Pikes Peak in 1946 and 1947.

The Rams Gate vineyard held an event dedicated to the Trofeo drivers.

23.09.2012 - SONOMA

In the Bowers & Wilkins guest car will be two drivers who are well-known in the US. Patrick Dempsey, famous for his role as Dr Shepherd in TV series Greyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Anatomy, is also an experienced driver and owner of an Indy car team. Dempsey has competed on circuits around the world and has appeared in the Le Mans 24 Hour. At Infineon he will be partnered in the Maserati GranTurismo MC Trofeo by Greg Tracy, part of the elite Team Hot Wheels. The squad made it into the Guinness Book of Records with the Hot Wheels Double Loop Dare at the 2012 X Games. Tracy has become one of the most renowned stuntmen in Hollywood after starting out in 1991. His CV boasts spectacular feats from advertisements and feature films and he has also picked up six motorbike wins at Pike Peaks.

Patrick Dempsey

Maserati merchandise was hot property at the stands inside the circuit. The American crowds especially appreciated the top designed to mark t he first Maserati Trofeo race in the United States. Also attracting attention wereâ&#x20AC;Ś the local beauties.

23.09.2012 - SONOMA

Race Results 2 - Overall Standings 01 99 Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) 30:05.561 02 7 Giorgio Sernagiotto +0.665 03 20 Johannes Van Overbeek +7.003 04 23 Alan Simoni +9.062 05 11 Max Pigoli (Swiss Team) +11.901 06 17 Alex Popow +13.194 07 15 Richard Denny +29.756 08 50 Felipe Merjech +30.176 09 8 Mathijs Bakker +30.760 10 33 Greg Tracy +41.536 11 66 Andrea Gardelli +46.344 12 25 Justino Azcarate +53.405 13 31 Ryan Ockey +59.748 14 5 Andreas Segler +1:09.909 15 10 Henrik Hedman +1:20.337 16 14 Adrien De Leener +1:20.828 17 22 Jonathan Becker +1:22.295 18 3 Mads Rasmussen +1:25.058 19 4 Per Nielsen +1:40.184 20 12 Pierre Marie De Leener +1:52.170 21 49 Henri Richard +1 lap

Race Results 1 - Overall Standings 01 17 Alex Popow 31:16.469 02 23 Riccardo Ragazzi +0.480 03 11 Andrea Dromedari (Swiss Team) +1.113 04 50 Felipe Merjech +3.213 05 20 Mike Hedlund +3.889 06 33 Patrick Dempsey +4.625 07 66 Fabio Venier +6.117 08 25 Justino Azcarate +7.468 09 7 Giuseppe Fascicolo +7.812 10 4 Per Nielsen +1:36.571 11 10 Henrik Hedman +1:37.277 12 5 Andreas Segler +1:37.907 13 3 Mads Rasmussen +1:38.563 14 22 Jonathan Becker +1:39.453 15 31 Damon Ockey +1:40.229 16 15 Richard Denny +1:40.788 17 12 Pierre Marie De Leener +1:41.964 18 49 Vafa Kordestani +1 lap 19 51 Owen Kratz not classified 20 14 Cedric Sbirrazzuoli not classified 21 99 Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) not classified 22 8 Stefano Garelli not classified 23 35 Larbi Tadlaoui not classified

Race Results 3 - Overall Standings 01 99 Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) 50:25.728 02 17 Alex Popow +12.919 03 11 Andrea Dromedari / Max Pigoli (Swiss Team) +14.493 04 7 Giuseppe Fascicolo / Giorgio Sernagiotto +18.281 05 8 Stefano Garelli / Mathijs Bakker +35.498 06 66 Fabio Venier / Andrea Gardelli +47.724 07 15 Richard Denny +48.247 08 25 Justino Azcarate +54.458 09 23 Riccardo Ragazzi / Alan Simoni +55.785 10 35 Larbi Tadlaoui +1:04.811 11 50 Felipe Merjech +1:06.148 12 20 Johannes Van Overbeek / Mike Hedlund +1:10.080 13 5 Andreas Segler +1:26.347 14 4 Per Nielsen +1:33.298 15 10 Henrik Hedman +1:44.201 16 3 Mads Rasmussen +1 lap 17 12 Pierre Marie De Leener +1 lap 18 31 Ryan Ockey / Damon Ockey +1 lap 19 49 Henri Richard / Vafa Kordestani +1 lap 20 22 Jonathan Becker +3 laps 21 33 Patrick Dempsey / Greg Tracy not classified 22 14 Cedric Sbirrazzuoli / Adrien De Leener not classified

23.09.2012 - SONOMA

Shanghai’s Formula 1 track was the splendid setting for the last round in the Maserati Trofeo.

Round 6 Shanghai Kuppens dominates the Maserati Trofeo Konvex motorsport’s Renaud Kuppens has earned a place in the Maserati Trofeo hall of fame. His second place in race 1 of Maserati’s single-make series at Shanghai, china, was good enough to see him to the title. Kuppens has been in good form since friday’s free practice and again shone in qualifying 2. The only other driver able to trouble the belgian was Cedric Sbirrazzuoli, who took pole in race 1.

04.11.2012 - SHANGHAI

The Race The win in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opening event went to Riccardo Ragazzi with Kuppens claiming second and Ange Barde third. In truth, it was the Swiss driver who crossed the line first but he was hit with a 10-second penalty after clashing with Ragazzi a few laps from the end as both drivers chased the win. Also in the spotlight in this sixth round of this Maserati Trofeo MC World Series was Dutchman Mathijs Bakker. He closed out fourth after driving consistently well. Things could have turned out better for Monaco-based Cedric Sbirrazzuoli but he was forced to retire on lap 17 while challenging for the lead. Sbirrazzuoli had slipped down the field after an over-aggressive Pigoli had attacked at the start, a move that saw him shown the black flag by race officials. Labi Tadlaoui also deserves a mention for his comeback from last spot (25th) to finish in 13th.

So, Kuppens adds his name to the Maserati Trofeo winners from 2010 (Pietro Zumerle) and 2011 (David Baldi). This is a real triumph for the Belgian: as well as taking the overall title, he scooped the Trofeo Europa (for winning the most races in Europe), took the prize for earning the most pole positions and is first in the Team standings with Konvex Motorsport. The last race in the championship was won by Giorgio Sernagiotto. He profited from Kuppensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; puncturing when leading by a healthy margin. In second finished Alan Simoni, ahead of Mathijs Bakker - taking his first pole of the season. Fourth went to Azcarate and fifth to Andreas Segler.

In dusky conditions, Kuppens came second in Race 1 to claim the 2012 Maserati Trofeo MC World Series.

04.11.2012 - SHANGHAI

To provide shelter from the rain, German Hermann Tilke (the brains behind the Sepang circuit in Malaysia and the Manama circuit of Sakhir in Bahrain) designed the stands situated at the end of the straight following turn 13 to resemble giant lotus leaves.

04.11.2012 - SHANGHAI

The Chinese media reserved a welcome worthy of a world championship.

The circuit of Shanghai, China, brought down the curtain on the 2012 Maserati Trofeo MC World Series. At the end of six gripping rounds held in three continents, (Europe, America and Asia) it was Renaud Kuppens, from Konvex Motorsport, who took the title. The season has been a remarkable one for the Belgian as he claimed the Overall and Team crowns, the award for notching up the most pole positions as well as pocketing the Trofeo Europa. The year of intense racing saw an average of 24 cars line up at Jarama, Portimao, Imola, Paul Ricard, Sonoma and, fittingly, the cutting-edge Formula 1 circuit of Shanghai. In all 25 Maserati GranTurismo MC Trofeos lined up and 35 drivers from 15 countries (Italy, Morocco, Singapore, Brazil, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Hong Kong, Belgium, Monaco, Australia, Venezuela, Austria, Switzerland and China) took part. The final round was held in China; a first for this single-make series but not for Maserati: in 2004, 2005 and 2007 the Maserati MC12 turned out here in the FIA GT. The Maserati Trofeo MC World Series closing ceremony was held at the Maserati Pudong Downtown Showroom, the marqueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home in Shanghai. There was huge interest in a marque as famous as Maserati over the entire weekend, one on which the company organised a packed press conference at the circuitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hospitality suite. Clients were also able to try out models from the current range and visit the exhibition spaces devoted to merchandising, an area enriched by the inclusion of a few choice cars, among them a Maserati GranCabrio Fendi. The enthusiasm for Maserati here is backed up by the figures with China now ranking as the marque second-biggest market after the US. 66

04.11.2012 - SHANGHAI

Pit & Paddock Mathijs Bakker: “It was special driving in China as my brother has lived in Shanghai for eighteen years and so, for me, it was like a ‘home’ race. I came fourth in yesterday’s opener but managed to make the podium today. For an over-50 like me, it’s comparable to a win.I would like to thank Maserati for organising such a great series. I competed in four races and always enjoyed it: the atmosphere is fantastic and the guys are amazing. So: thanks, Maserati”.

Justino Azcarate closed out his Maserati Trofeo World Series season with a fifth and a fourth place in the two events held in Shanghai. The Venezuelan had already appeared in the Maserati Trofeo JBF RAK, run between December 2011 and March 2012

Race Results 1 - Overall Standings 01 23 Riccardo Ragazzi 40:49.649 02 99 Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) +1.126 03 88 Ange Barde +5.088 04 8 Mathijs Bakker +16.071 05 25 Justino Azcarate +46.361 06 38 Eric Lo +52.804 07 7 Giuseppe Fascicolo +1:00.982 08 5 Andreas Segler +1:22.258 09 15 Richard Denny +1:23.119 10 10 Eric Chheung +1:30.566 11 4 Per Nielsen +1:31.355 12 98 Philip Ma +1:35.313 13 35 Larbi Tadlaoui +1 lap 14 18 Lung Yuk Siu +1 lap 15 28 Guenther Forster +1 lap 16 3 Mads Rasmussen +1 lap 17 14 Adrien De Leener +1 lap 18 33 Yu Qi +1 lap 19 17 Andrew Luk +1 lap 20 60 Billy Fung +1 lap 21 26 Benny Lim +2 laps 22 12 Cedric Sbirrazzuoli not classified 23 66 Andrea Gardelli not classified 24 2 Ringo Chong not classified

Race Results 2 - Overall Standings 01 7 Giorgio Sernagiotto 40:41.630 02 23 Alan Simoni +13.038 03 8 Mathijs Bakker +14.761 04 25 Justino Azcarate +49.722 05 5 Andreas Segler +53.381 06 38 Shaun Thong +1:11.304 07 35 Larbi Tadlaoui +1:28.112 08 4 Per Nielsen +1:29.383 09 12 Pierre De Leener +1:29.659 10 10 Eric Cheung +1:30.729 11 18 Lung Yuk Siu +1:31.911 12 28 Guenther Forster +1:59.642 13 17 Yu Kam Cheong +1 lap 14 98 Jacky Yeung +1 lap 15 66 Fabio Venier +1 lap 16 2 Carlos Alberto +1 lap 17 60 Billy Fung +1 lap 18 33 Wei Wang +1 lap 19 26 Gerard Yap +1 lap 20 14 Adrien De Leener not classified 21 99 Renaud Kuppens (Konvex Motorsport) not classified 22 11 Andrea Dromedari (Swiss Team) not classified 23 15 Richard Denny not classified 24 88 Ange Barde not classified 25 3 Mads Rasmussen not classified

04.11.2012 - SHANGHAI

The Winners

Awards giving cerimony

Renaud Kuppens: “I am really happy at winning the championship as, this year, it was a global event with the rounds in the USA and China. I knew that I had two races to secure the title and today I focused on not running any risks. Winning a title is more important than winning every single race so I drove within myself apart from the early duel with Ragazzi for first place. The Maserati Trofeo is a top-class series. The organisation is excellent, the atmosphere is great and the car is reliable; you couldn’t ask for more. What sticks in the mind most is the US weekend at Sonoma; it was almost perfect. The only thing it lacked was a victory and I only missed out with a technical problem and had to retire. The other major step was Race 2 at Imola where I collected all the points on offer and moved into the Overall lead, one I have held onto ever since. I hope to have the chance to race with Maserati again in the future”.

The Maserati Trofeo MC World Series closing ceremony was held at the Maserati Pudong Downtown Showroom, the marque’s home in Shanghai. As well as Kuppens, awards were bestowed on: Riccardo Ragazzi/Alan Simoni (Trofeo), Richard Denny (Over 50), Adrien De Leener (Under 30), Eric Lo e Shaun Thong (Best Asian Drivers).

Renaud Kuppens, Winner of Trofeo Assoluto, Polesman, Winner of Team Standings

Riccardo Ragazzi and Alan Simoni, winner of Trofeo Standings

Hospitality THE TROFEO MASERATI ON THE WORLD STAGE

The Drivers

Renaud Kuppens - Belgium

Richard Denny - Australia

Alan Simoni - Italy

Riccardo Ragazzi - Italy

Giuseppe Fascicolo - Italy

Giorgio Sernagiotto - Italy

Andrea Dromedari - Italy

Max Pigoli - Italy

Andrea Gardelli - Switzerland

Fabio Venier - Switzerland

Thomas Herpell - Germany

Andreas Segler - Germany

Pierre Marie De Leener - Belgium

Adrien De Leener - Belgium

Guenther Foster - Austria

Mathis Bakker - Holland

Mads Rasmussen - Denmark

Per Nielsen - Denmark

Stefano Garelli - Italy

Tiziano Cappelletti - Italy

Cedric Sbirrazzuoli - Monaco

Alessandro Chionna - Italy

Larbi Tadlaoui - Morocco

Ismail Sbai - Morocco

Riccardo Romagnoli - Italy

Edo Varini - Italy

Youssaf El Manissi - Morocco

Fabrizio Macchinetta - Italy

Bela Csiszer - Hungary

Anita Toth - Hungary

Blumax - Italy

Fabio Debeaumont - Italy

Alberto Nicolucci - Italy

Tiziano Frazza - Italy

Alvaro Rodriguez Quiroga - Spain

Carlos Rodriguez - Spain

Jaime Carbo` Fernandez - Spain

Alberto Vescovi - Italy

Samuele Buttarelli - Italy

Alex Popow - Venezuela

Joe Ghanem - Lebanon

Tani Hanna - Lebanon

Mike Hedlund - USA

Johannes Van Overbeek - USA

Davide Durante - Switzerland

Roberto Sorti - Italy

Ryan Ockey - Canada

Danon Ockey - Canada

Daniel Waszczinski - Belgium

Marcel Pawlicek - Switzerland

Felipe Merjech - Colombia

Jonathan Becker - USA

Justino Azcarate - Venezuela

Ferdinando Serafino - Italy

Henrik Hedman - Sweden

Owen Kratz - USA

Johnny Lausen - Denmark

88 Ange Barde - France

Vafa Kordestani - USA

Henri Richard - USA

Andrew Luk - Hong Kong

Yu Kam Cheong - Hong Kong

Eric Cheung - Hong Kong

Owen Mildenhall - UK

Benny Lim - Hong Kong

Gerad Yap - Hong Kong

Sergio Garcia - Spain

Jaime Hernadez - Spain

Shaun Thong - Hong Kong

Eric lo - Hong Kong

Luca Lorenzini - Italy

Alberto Sabbatini - Italy

Philip Ma - Hong Kong

Jacky Yeung - Hong Kong

Chistian Gebhardt - Germany

Shinichi Katsura - Japan

Ringo Chong - Singapore

Carlos Alberto - Brazil

Patrik Dempsey - USA

Greg Tracy - USA

Lung Yuk Siu - Hong Kong

Billy Fung - Hong Kong

Yu Qi - China

Wei Wang - China

Thanks to...

La vettura N.33 con la livrea di Bowers & Wilkins ha portato in giro per il Mondo i piloti Vip del Maserati Trofeo MC World Series che si sono alternati per tutta la stagione. I piloti ospiti, in quanto invitati, erano trasparenti ai fini della classifica e pertanto non hanno mai raccolto punti. Nella gara inaugurale di Jarama in Spagna sono scesi in pista i giornalisti Jaime Hernandez e Sergio Garcia, mentre nella prova di Portimao è stata la volta del collega ’inglese Owen Mildenhall. Sul tracciato di Imola, hanno presto parte al round italiano il direttore Alberto Sabbatini e il suo collaboratore Luca Lorenzini. Tra le curve colorate del Paul Ricard in Francia, un altro giornalista, il tedesco Christian Gebardt, mentre a Sonoma negli Stati Uniti, hanno partecipato alla gara l’attore americano Patrick Dempsey, il protagonista della serie TV Grey’s anathomy e lo stunt man Greg Tracy. Gran finale sulla pista di Formula 1 a Shanghai in Cina con i due cronisti Yu Qi e Wei Wang.

our partner The iconic Italian sports car maker Maserati and British high-end audio specialist Bowers & Wilkins announced a brand partnership that looks set to shake up the world of car audio. The long-term partnership will produce a new high-performance car sound system, created by Bowers & Wilkins in collaboration with Maserati, and available exclusively in Maserati cars from 2013. The partnership was announced at the Paris Motorshow by Maserati CEO Harald Wester and Bowers & Wilkins Executive VP Evert Huizing. “If you look at the values the companies have in common, the partnership makes perfect sense,” said Wester. “Both Maserati and Bowers & Wilkins have a proud heritage of traditional craftsmanship and engineering excellence. Both have a real commitment to innovation. And both continue to set benchmarks for performance and design in our industries. “Maserati has always attracted discerning customers who appreciate understated refinement and genuine performance – and the same can be said for Bowers & Wilkins.” Although no details about the forthcoming car audio system are yet available, Huizing says that there is plenty to get excited about. “I’m confident we’ve come up with something very special,” said Huizing. “By working closely with Maserati engineers, we’ve designed a system perfectly adapted to the unique challenges of the car environment, and one which will deliver great sound and transform the driving experience.” To support the partnership, Maserati and Bowers & Wilkins will launch a range of brand activities including a microsite, films and a series of events in cities around the world. The centrepiece of the marketing drive will be Seven Notes - a campaign inspired by the seven unique notes produced by all Maserati car engines. These engine notes have been used to create a series of exclusive tracks, composed and recorded by musician and producer Howie B (U2, Björk) at Abbey Road Studios in London. These tracks are freely available in high-definition audio from www.sevennotes.com Along with the new car-audio system, the Maserati/Bowers & Wilkins partnership will produce a range of limited edition co-branded audio products, including highperformance loudspeakers and headphones.

Thanks to...

our partner

From race to road Comparison Inspired by the Trofeo GranTurismo MC and the race-winning Gt4 motorsport programmes, the Maserati GranTurismo MC stradale has more power, less weight, razor-sharp handling and a 301km/h top speed.

Responding to Maserati customer demands for a GranTurismo capable of balancing their road-driving needs with their race-driving desires, it incorporates the handling and aerodynamic lessons from Maseratiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three current racing programmes. With 331kW (450 horsepower), it has more power (7kW, 10hp) from the 4.7-litre V8 engine than the GranTurismo S, while its 510Nm of torque is a further 20Nm improvement. This helps to slash the 0-100km/h sprint 88

time, which the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale covers in just 4.6 seconds, and stretches the top speed to 301km/h. Its racebred heritage is highlighted by a 110kg weight reduction from the GranTurismo S, with its dry weight down to 1670kg. It mirrors the advantages Maserati has in racing by retaining the optimal 48 : 52 weight distribution to ensure handling balance and even tyre wear. It uses advanced electronics to slash gear-shift times from the upgra-

ded MC Race Shift electro-actuated transaxle gearbox to just 60 milliseconds. It is also the first Maserati in history to have a dedicated Race mode to add to its upgraded Automatic and Sport modes in a simplified dash layout. It produces more aerodynamic down force without producing more aerodynamic drag, it produces more power without using more fuel and it is more agile without sacrificing the GranTurismo Sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highly praised ride quality. With the removal of the

rear seats, it is the first two-seat Maserati since the MC12 and has also benefited from new Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, custom-developed Pirelli tyres, a unique suspension layout and carbon-fibre, race-inspired seats. The push for the GranTurismo MC Stradale came from existing GranTurismo and GranTurismo S customers who wanted a car that looked and felt like the GT4 and Trofeo race cars, but was road legal and just as comfortable 89

as their existing models. With the removal of the rear seats, the GranTurismo MC Stradale is the only two-seat Maserati in the current line-up. It has been designed to give a deeply engaging, racing-car driving experience, regardless of what kind of road its drivers are on. To achieve that and still maintain Maserati’s traditional values, it had to look, sound and feel like a racing car without sacrificing its road comfort. This dual personality encouraged Maserati to fit the car with a Race mode which, at the touch of a button, gives the GranTurismo MC Stradale super-fast gear shifting, a louder exhaust note and more freedom from the Maserati Stability Programme. Yet, it was also designed to be easy to drive quickly and as comfortable as possible, so it retains all of the inherent handling, ride and stability benefits of the GranTurismo S. It combines specific track-derived chassis tuning with the inherent, fast-corner stability only found with a relatively long wheelbase. This unlocks the GranTurismo MC Stradale’s broad range of handling abilities across a range of conditions, allowing it to be both a superaggressive track car and a stable, high-speed city commuter or autobahn express. It has the speed to be a road-legal racing car, yet it has the progressive handling to be considered an extremely usable super-sports car. The GranTurismo MC Stradale also provides the latest step in the well-trodden path between Maserati’s racing programmes and its production road cars

and, often, back again. In the 1990s, the Ghibli Open Cup race car gave birth to the Ghibli Cup and a decade later the Trofeo GranSport gave birth to the GranSport MC Victory. At the pinnacle of recent Maserati’s road-to race story, the FIA GT-winning MC12 was developed directly from the MC12 Stradale. Like its predecessors, the GranTurismo MC Stradale has borrowed heavily from its racing car twin, taking a unique body design that is heavily based around the requirements of the track. It is a body package that offers new designs for the front splitter, the bumper, the bonnet, the front guard panels, the sills and even the exhausts and the rear bumper. To emphasi-

A roadgoing model.

ze the harder-edged nature of the GranTurismo MC Stradale, Maserati even offers the car with an optional roll cage and a four-point racing harness, both of which are, naturally, homologated for road use. While the GranTurismo MC Stradale has been stripped of 110kg of weight to help sharpen its handling, acceleration and response, the GranTurismo S can also benefit from some of the MC Stradale’s key elements through the MC Sport Line option package. The MC Sport Line offers GranTurismo S buyers the chance to upgrade the exterior, interior and suspension to make a more race-like Maserati without sacrificing its four-seat capability.

THE ENGINE The GranTurismo MC Stradale’s engine has 331kW of power at 7000rpm, which is a 7kW (10hp) improvement versus the GranTurismo S. There is also more torque, with a 20Nm jump from the GranTurismo’s strong 490Nm to 510Nm at 4750rpm, with a thicker torque curve at lower rpm. Most of the improvements have come from the Friction Reduction Programme, which involved the redesign of the oil sump’s fluid dynamics and Diamond-Like Coating of the tappets and the camshaft lobes. The result is an engine that is both more powerful and fuel efficient, with correspondingly lower CO2 emissions.

Maserati GranTurismo MC Trofeo

A roadgoing model.

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1 2 2 2 1 1

FINAL POINT

R. Kuppens A. Simoni R. Ragazzi G. Fascicolo G. Sernagiotto A. Dromedari M. Pigoli A. Gardelli F. Venier R. Romagnoli C. Sbirrazzuoli A- Chionna E. Varini M. Bakker A. Popow J. Ghanem R. Denny S. Garelli J. Azcarate Y. El Marnissi A. Segler M. Hedlund O. Kratz I. Sbai F. Merjech A. Barde L. Tadlaoui E. Lo S. Thong D. Waszczinski T. Cappelletti F. Macchitella R. Sorti D. Durante G. Forster A. De Leener S. Buttarelli P. De Leener T.Herpell J. Laursen P. Nielsen H. Hedman E. Cheung P. Ma V. Kordestani A.Vescovi M. Rasmussen A. Rodriguez Quiroga C. Rodriguez Quiroga B. Csiszer A. Toth A. Nicolucci F. Debeaumont Blumax J. CarbÃ² Fernandez T.Hanna T. Frazza M. Pawlicek J. Becker D. Ockey R. Ockey J. Vanoverbeek Y. Kam Cheong J. Yeung B. Fung A. Luk G. Yap L. Y. Siu B. Lim C. Alberto

JARAMA PORTIMAO IMOLA PAUL RICARD SONOMA SHANGHAI P1 R1 P2 R2 P1 R1 P2 R2 R2 P1 R1 P2 R2 R2 P1 R1 P2 R2 P1 R1 P2 R2 R2 P1 R1 P2 R2

TOTAL POINT

Classification

1 2 2 3 3 4 5 6 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 19 20 21 21 21 22 22 23 24 25 25 25 25 25 25 26 27 27 27 28 28 28 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29

OVERALL

184 173 173 168 168 136 99 84 84 69 62 61 53 52 44 43 41 37 29 26 24 20 20 15 13 13 13 12 12 11 9 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

174 161 161 158 158 136 99 84 84 69 62 61 53 52 44 43 41 37 29 26 24 20 20 15 13 13 13 12 12 11 9 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

TROFEO TEAM Konvex Motorsport

15 15 8 8

20 6 12

10 10 20 20 12 12 6 3 8

20 20 4 4 12 12 8 10 3

1 1

18 18 20 10 20 10 4 15 4 15 15 12

10 10 15 15 20

20 20 15 15 12 12 , 10 4

25 25 15 15

1 1

15 15 20 20 12 12 10 8

18 1

15 15 4 4 8 8

20 20 10 10 15 15 15 6 3 8

10 10

2 6

12 25 8 4 6

6 12

2 6 3

15 10 15

15 15 20 20

3 12

15 15 6

4 1 1 2

4 8 4

20 20 6 6

10 25

10 10 12 6

6 6 18 18 12 12

15 12 20

12 12 20 20 3 3

10 15

2 4 3

10 6

6 8 8

2 3 8 8

1 4

2 4

2 1

8 6 2 2 1

6 6 2

2 6 4

2 2 1 1 1 1 1

30 25

20 40

15 18

12 12

20 25

212 212 203 203 120 120 87 74 73 69 62 55 52 49 44 41 33 28 26 26 20 19 17 15 15 14 14 11 11 10 10 10 9 8 6 4 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1

194 194 189 189 120 120 87 74 73 69 62 55 52 49 44 41 33 28 26 26 20 19 17 15 15 14 14 11 11 10 10 10 9 8 6 4 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 15 15 16

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1 2 3 4 5 6

OVER 50

JARAMA PORTIMAO IMOLA PAUL RICARD SONOMA SHANGHAI P1 R1 P2 R2 P1 R1 P2 R2 R2 P1 R1 P2 R2 R2 P1 R1 P2 R2 P1 R1 P2 R2 R2 P1 R1 P2 R2

R. Denny T. Herpell M. Bakker M. Pigoli J. Azcarate G. Forster E. Varini P. De Leener J. Carbò Fernandez T. Frazza R. Ockey T. Cappelletti H. Richard A. Vescovi Blumax F. Serafino P. Ma C. Rodriguez Quiroga

20 10

15 12

20 18 15 15

15 8 10 12 18 20 25

8 12

15 10 4 20 12 8

12 15 6 8 10

20 15

25 8 12 12 10 10

12 8 20

15 15

12 20

15 10

12 18 20 25 10 12

15 8

15 10 12

6 8

15 12 10 10 10 8

OVER 30

A. DeLeener C. Sbirrazzuoli A. Toth J. Ghanem A. Rodriguez Quiroga S. Buttarelli S. Thong

15 20 12 1

12 20 10 15

18 15 12 20 25

15 20 12

25 15 18

20 15

20 20

POLES

R. Kuppens G. Sernagiotto C. Sbirrazzuoli R. Romagnoli J. Ghanem R. Ragazzi

20 8

1 1

1 1 1 1

TOTAL POINT

FINAL POINT

A. Simoni R. Ragazzi G. Fascicolo G. Sernagiotto F. Venier A. Gardelli R. Romagnoli S. Garelli R. Denny M. Bakker E. Varini A. Popow J. Ghanem A. Segler Y. El Marnissi J. Azcarate I. Sbai L. Tadlaoui M.Hedlund J. Vanoverbeek F. Merjech T. Cappelletti A. Barde G. Forster A. De Leener E. Lo S. Thong T.Herpell P. De Leener R. Sorti D. Durante P. Nielsen M. Rasmussen F. Macchitella S. Buttarelli J. Laursen E. Cheung A.Vescovi H. Hedman A. Nicolucci J. Carbò Fernandez T.Hanna D. Ockey R. Ockey

JARAMA PORTIMAO IMOLA PAUL RICARD SONOMA SHANGHAI P1 R1 P2 R2 P1 R1 P2 R2 R2 P1 R1 P2 R2 R2 P1 R1 P2 R2 P1 R1 P2 R2 R2 P1 R1 P2 R2

TOTAL POINT

1 1 2 2 3 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 16 17 18 19 20 20 21 21 22 22 23 23 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 29 30 30 30 30 30

TROFEO

208 112 112 110 99 83 81 62 28 20 18 15 14 12 10 10 10 8

180 106 79 61 20 20 15

4 3 2 1 1 1

329

(R. Kuppens - D. Waszczinski)

Swiss Team

15 18

201

(A. Dromedari - M.Pigoli)

AF Corse

12 15

122

(C. Sbirrazzuoli - A. Chionna)

M. Pawlicek

“We made his dream true...”

... to be continued!