Maserati Storms to Spa Win
Maserati secured victory in their first attempt at a 24 Hours race by winning the Proximus 24 hours of Spa
The MC12 was not allowed to take part in the Le Mans 24 Hours after organisers ACO said it did not meet their technical regulations. However, the FIA GT championship has welcomed the squad and the team dominated the race.
The last time a Maserati won an International Endurance race was in 1957, when the 450S won the 12 Hours of Sebring.
The Italian Marque's performance was made all the more convincing after they secured a one-two in the category in an event blighted by changeable whether conditions.
It was the Vitaphone Racing Team's number nine car, with Michael Bartels, Timo Scheider and Eric Van de Poele that dominated the race from pole position, the sixth round of the FIA GT championship.
Scheider said: "It was an exciting race from beginning to end and, in fact, I had to avoid another car that spun on the very last lap in the driving rain."
Two laps behind was the sister car of Andrea Bertolini, Karl Wendlinger and Philippe Peter.
Following the two Maserati's were two Ferrari 550 s. The number 11 car of Vincent Vosse, Kurt Mollekens, Christophe Bouchut, Gabriele Gardel car finishing ahead of last year's winners Lilian Bryner and Enzo Calderari, with Steve Zacchia and Fred Bouvy.
The number six Carsport Corvette finished fourth but was excluded following post race scrutineering, because the data-recording device was not connected.
Aston Martin, competing in their second round of the FIA GT championship, finished fifth and sixth. Lengthy stops required to remedy a pedal box issue ended their hopes of a podium.
Aston Martin Racing boss George Howard-Chappell said: "We're experiencing the sort of problems now that we would have expected much earlier in the programme."
The Maserati of Fabio Babini, Thomas Biagi and Jamie Davies however retire with a transmission problem halfway through the race when holding a podium place.
Pos Class Drivers Make Laps 1. GT1 Poele/Bartels/Scheider Maserati MC12 GT1 576
2. GT1 Bertolini/Wendlinger/Peter Maserati MC12 GT1 574
3. GT1 Vosse/M'Kens/B'Chut/Gardel Ferrari 550 Maranello 567
4. GT1 Longin/K'Pen/H'Mans/Bleekem'N Corvette C5R 563(*)
5. GT1 Bryner/Calderari/Zacchia/Bouvy Ferrari 550 Maranello 562
6. GT1 Goossens/Kox/Lamy Aston Martin DBR9 557
7. GT1 Brabham/Turner/Sarrazin Aston Martin DBR9 555
8. GT2 Lieb/Rockenfeller/Luhr Porsche 996 GT3 RSR 541
9. GT1 Duez/Menten/Hernandez/Cayrolle Corvette C5R 536
10. GT2 Moccia/Groppi/Camathias Porsche 996 GT3 RS 535
11. GT1 Newton/Erdos/Mallock/Bennett Saleen S7 R 529
12. G2 Penders/Lamot/Couwbeaghs Porsche 996 GT3 RS 529
13. G2 V'Nque/Lab'T/Prette/Radrigues Chrysler Viper GTS 509
14. G2 Gastines/Cloet/Rossem/Laet Porsche 996 GT3 RS 497
15. G3 Mattheus/Van'Gen/Furnal/G'Froy Porsche 996 GT3 RS 495
16. GT1 Lemeret/Deman/Belloc/Livio Ferrari 575 Maranello GTC 492
17. GT2 Ried/Ried/F'Mayr/F'Mayr Jnr Porsche 996 GT3 RS 489
18. G2 Lambert/Leforte/Palltala/Andre Porsche 996 GT3 RS 486
19. G2 Model/Tenchini/Riolo/Ceratti Porsche 996 GT3 RS 477
20. GT2 Collard/Sugden/Ortelli Porsche 996 GT3 RSR 477
21. GT2 Collins/Cunningham/Maassen Porsche 996 GT3 RSR 476
22. G3 Noziere/Brouard/Levy/Levy Porsche 996 GT3 RS 469
23. G2 Corbel/Baron/Cohighnac/Stepec Porsche 996 GT3 RS 465
24. G2 Chailet/Nef/Morlet Porsche 996 GT3 RS 461
25. G2 Giudici/Romanini/Raimondi Maserati Light GT 4200 435
26. GT2 Vonka/Konopka/De Castro Porsche 996 GT3 RS 423
Not Classified/Retirements: Class Drivers Make On Lap GT1 Babini/Biagi/Davies Maserati MC12 GT1 401 G2 Coens/Beltoise/Blanchemais Porsche 996 GT3 RS 342 G2 Muytjens/Koenen/Grouwels Porsche 996 GT3 RS 218 G3 Ickx/Bermes/Hemroulle/Reis Porsche 996 GT3 RS 198 GT1 Zwaan/Zwaan/Kutemann Maserati MC12 GT1 141 GT1 Keen/Halliday/Moller/Verdon Roe Lister Storm GT 134 GT1 Fomenko/V'Iev/M'Ssian/C-Walter Ferrari 550 Maranello 96 G2 Leinders/K'Pens/Ambr'O/D'Cour Gillet Vertigo 84 GT1 Deletraz/Piccini/Melo/Morbidelli Ferrari 575 Maranello GTC 29 G2 Belmondo/Khan/Pauw/Hove Porsche 996 GT3 RS 2 GT2 Busnelli/Son'O/Jacoma/Rap'Ti Porsche 996 GT3 RS 1 (*) Disqualified All Timing Unofficial
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