GT2 | Maserati charges for the first time: “It's like coming home”

Three Maseratis are ready to take to the track for the first event of the 2024 GT2 European Series season.

The first stage of the SRO Motorsports Group series will take place on the Circuit Paul Ricard on 5 and 6 April and representing the Trident company will be the two cars entered by LP Racing and the single example by TFT Racing.

In practice we return to the scene of the… crime, namely the Le Castellet track where in October last year the LP Racing Maserati driven by Leonardo Gorini and Luca Pirri made its debut against its rivals, going on to conquer a history-making Pole Position and the podium in the first of the two races held.

For the LP there will once again be Gorini paired with Carlo Tamburini at the wheel of the Maserati #1 entered in the PRO-AM Class, while in the AM we will see Philippe Prette at work.

The other car from the Modena company powered by the Nettuno V6 90° biturbo engine and derived from the MC20 will see the Belgian driver Alexandre Leroy at the wheel, also attacking the AM Class, while we will have to wait for the Misano event to see the debut that of Van Der Horst Motorsport with Gerard Van Der Horst on top.

In the meantime, the leaders of the Trident can't wait to take part in the season, as observed by the Head of Maserati Corse, Giovanni Sgro, fresh from success with his men in Formula E in Tokyo.

“For Maserati, seeing three cars at the start of a GT championship is like coming home. Over the course of the year, other teams who have purchased our car will be added and this makes us even more proud and eager to see Maserati GT2 return to occupy a place on the grid in GT championships around the world”, says Sgro.

“We were born on the track and competitions have been part of us since the brand's debut in the motoring world.”

“In recent years Maserati has outlined a precise strategy to bring the Trident back into competition and today we are happy to be able to offer our customers a car with character, a perfect synthesis between advanced technology and exceptional performance, a product that responds to the demands of motorsport consumers, private teams and gentleman drivers, to whom this category is aimed”.

“This series is ideal for us and for our car and responds to Maserati's objective of bringing exceptional products like our MC20 to the track, capable of transforming themselves into perfect racing creations, the maximum expression of the best characteristics that distinguish our sports production series”.

“We can't wait to see the Maserati GT2 in action in the race, exactly where it deserves to be.”

TFT Racing, Maserati GT2

Photo credit: GT2 European Series

As part of its first outing in France, Maserati Corse has also announced a new collaboration for its GT2 program with Shell.

“Shell and Maserati share the same passion for innovation and excellence, as demonstrated by our 15-year technical collaboration, and for this reason we are happy to be a sponsor of Maserati GT2 in the GT2 European Series”, comments the Marketing Manager of the oil company, Max Weskamm.

“The collaboration involves the supply of Shell Helix Ultra Maserati 5W-40 engine oil for the racing car derived from the MC20 and the first filling for the road version of the same model.”

Maserati GT2 steering wheel detail

Photo by: Davide De Martis

THE PROGRAM

At Paul Ricard, Thursday will be reserved for those who want to carry out tests, scheduled from 1.00pm to 3.00pm, while things will begin to get serious on Friday with the tests that will serve to prepare for the two Qualifying sessions in the late afternoon, useful for define the starting grids.

Finally, Saturday is the day of the two 50' races, visible on the official YouTube channel of the championship, but let's see in detail all the times of the activities on the track.

THURSDAY 4 APRIL

Tests: 1pm-3pm

FRIDAY 5 APRIL

Free practice: 9.00-10.00
Pre-Qualifying: 1.20pm-2.20pm
Qualification 1: 5.30pm-5.50pm
Qualification 2: 6.00pm-6.20pm

SATURDAY 6 APRIL

Race 1: 1.05pm (50')
Race 2: 6.45pm (50')