F1 drivers travel with Maserati

The official drivers of the Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso teams will travel in style, onboard Maserati GranSports during the 2006 F1 season.

For the first European race of the F1 championship season which will take place in Imola this weekend, David Coulthard and Christian Klien (Red Bull Racing), Tonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed (Scuderia Toro Rosso) were given four Maserati GranSports, which they will use to move around throughout 2006.

The cars were delivered yesterday during a special event held at Francesco Baracca Airport in Lugo di Romagna.

The GranSport models, in Touring Grey (David Coulthard), Carbon Black (Christian Klien), Mediterranean Blue (Tonio Liuzzi) and World Championship Red (Scott Speed), were offered by Karner & Grossegger Automobil Gmbh. & Co. KG, Wien.

The GranSport, which boasts a 4200-cc V8 engine that delivers 400 hp, is the most popular model among Maserati's dynamic younger customers. Its distinctive design features a chromed front radiator grille and wraparound front bumper, sporting a lower spoiler with sidebars. The interior flaunts a mix of carbon fibre and leather for an even sportier look.

The road version of the GranSport has inspired the Trofeo GranSport, the star of the Trident's single-make race series, the Trofeo Audemars Piguet Maserati Europe. A round of the Trofeo Championship will take place at Silverstone on May 5-7, during the FIA GT Championship weekend, and will see supermodel Jodie Kidd return to motor racing, after last year’s successful fourth place in the Sponsored Drivers’ Trofeo Maserati Championship.