Maserati to sport Italian racing colours at the legendary Nuerburgring

Maserati will return to red. The Trident will field a GranSport Trofeo in red livery, the classic Italian racing colour, in the next Nuerburgring 24 Hours race, on the legendary German circuit that measures 22 kilometres.

Red was the colour used 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 race of his career. Red was also the colour of the Maserati 300 S that was victorious in the Nuerburgring 1000 kilometres 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 vehicle, like Fangio’s championship winning 250 F, is further enhanced by a yellow band around the grille.

In the driving seat of the GranSport Trofeo in the official competition will be French star, Jacques Laffite. Laffite, who made his F1 debut in 1974 at the Nordschleife, will be flanked by Italian gentleman driver Gianni Giudici and journalists Patrick Hong (USA) and Richard Meaden (UK).

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 a GranSport ‘Laboratorio’ for the 24 Hours. This vehicle is the sole example on which experimental solutions are tested before their possible introduction on racing and road going 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 Spa 24 Hours and the Constructors’ Cup in the 2005 FIA GT Championship. Andrea Bertolini, German Michael Bartels, Belgian Eric Van de Poele and gentleman driver, Gianni Giudici (who will drive two cars) will take it in turn behind the wheel.

Both vehicles are equipped with Pirelli tyres, with whom 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 continues today, ahead of the German race.

"The Nuerburgring 24 Hours 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 in mind but also with safety paramount for taking on circuits like Nuerburgring. 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 the Nuerburgring. 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: "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 easy handling that will be useful in the 24 Hours. Second, it is the Nuerburgring we are talking about. This is one of my favourite tracks and where I have won in many different categories. However, the 24 Hours is one event I am missing and so I eagerly accepted Maserati’s offer."