Команда в сборе (25 автомобилей, которые выпущены для омологации и гонщики)
25 road MC12s ready for delivery
Modena - Maserati has presented 25 road versions of the MC12 to the FIA (Federation Internationale Automobile). The supercars are ready to be delivered to customers. Three racing models were also presented, the one unveiled last March at the Geneva Show and the couple that will make their debut in Imola for AF Corse.
Maserati is making a very welcome return to racing and, in the process, to its very earliest roots. In fact, it was Maserati’s enormous success in races, courtesy of some legendary drivers and an insatiable thirst for innovation, that helped created the legend of the Trident marque. A F1 World title in 1957 was delivered by Juan Manuel Fangio at the wheel of the magnificent 250 F. The same model that helped the Argentinian to win another title in 1954.
The last victory came long after Maserati’s official retirement from racing at the end of '57, courtesy of Cooper in 1967 (F1 South African GP, driver Pedro Rodriguez, 12-cylinder Cooper-Maserati). The Trident’s most glittering triumphs in the sports prototype category, however, have to be its Targa Florio, Buenos Aires 1000 Km and Nьrburgring victories. Wilbur Shaw’s two wins in the Indy 500 (1939-1940) at the wheel of the 8CTF, also have a very special place in the Trident story.
Martin Leach (CEO of Maserati) has declared: "The history of Maserati is one of sporting success, splendid and fascinating automobiles and exclusive clients. We have completed the series of 25 MC12 roadcars and they are ready for delivery to the clients and the track cars in which we will make our racing return to an international championship are being prepared. For us then, it is an important historic moment".
The same concept has been underlined by Claudio Berro (Director of Maserati Corse): "It is an exciting moment as it marks the return of a great automobile manufacturer to competition after a gap of thirty years. All the cars have been completed and selected and so all that remains is for the track to give its verdict. We believe that we have worked well over the past two years". From the technical point of view, Giorgio Ascanelli (Technical Director of Maserati Corse) explains: "The race version is derived from the road version of the MC12, with a close eye kept on performance and costs. We would like our future clients to possess an easily manageable car with great performance and good reliability".
The drivers are very confident: "The road going car and the race spec car are very similar - says Andrea Bertolini - The MC12 is a very easy vehicle to drive and one in which it is easy to find the limit. We work well with Mika Salo. We completed the last three tests together and, most significantly, we give the technicians similar feedback on the car". The Finn driver agrees: "It’s quite exciting. It’s has been a very busy testing and I think we should be ready for the race. It’s a very confortable car to drive, very good balanced, very comfortable especially for the long run".
The other duo is formed by Johnny Herbert and Fabrizio De Simone. "I am more than satisfied - says Herbert - because we signed the agreement a few days ago and the first test at Mugello went extremely well. The MC12 is a pleasant car to drive. Comfort is very important in races of this type. A car has to be set up in two specific ways for two different drivers and I think that the perfect combination has been found". The same impression of Fabrizio De Simone: "The first sensation is that the MC12 is an extremely precise and reliable car to drive. What I found was that it was easy to establish the right feeling with this car. The car is an exceptional one to drive".
Andrea Bertolini's biography
Born in Sassuolo (Modena) on 1 December 1973. He obtained a diploma in mechanics from the ‘Ferrari’ Technical Institute in Maranello.
Bertolini made his debut at the age of eleven in the mini go-kart category, placing second in the Italian championship. Between thirteen and sixteen he competed in the higher kart categories at a national level, before interrupting briefly his racing career.
At nineteen he became the youngest ever Ferrari GT test driver and worked in the experimental development field.
In the meantime he had started racing go-karts again. Once more he was successful, securing numerous wins in 1999 and 2000 in the 125 Formula C category.
In 2001 he was offered the chance to compete in the FIA GT championship driving for a private Porsche team, and, with the blessing of Ferrari, took up the opportunity. He performed very well, resulting in one of Ferrari’s clients, JMB, to offer him a drive in a 360. In the Ferrari he finished a worthy fourth in the FIA GT series.
At the beginning of 2003 his Ferrari career took a different path when he switched from the Esperienze roadcar department to the Ferrari and Maserati Corse Clienti. He maintained his role as a test driver. The following year he continued his driving career with JMB at the wheel of a 360 GT and 360 GTC. After winning four races and just missing out on the title, he made the move to the N-GT category. To his second place overall was added the ‘Driver Performance of the Year’ award. This was conferred by a panel of international journalists after having evaluated the performance of all the drivers participating in the Super Racing Weekend, an event in which FIA GT, ETCC and other categories are run. Bertolini was also called in to test F1 cars for the Scuderia Ferrari. Bertolini is the driver that has developed the MC12 right from the beginning of the project.
Bertolini is single and lives in Sassuolo. His hobbies include go-karting, cinema, music and football. His favourite dish is lasagne.
Mika Salo's biography
Born in Finland on 30 November 1966, Mika Salo began his go-karting career at the age of just six. At eleven he won the first of his six national titles. After a stint in Formula Ford, he moved onto Formula 3 where he triumphed in six races in the English series.
The following year Salo opted to race in F3000 in Japan. His great form attracted the attention of Lotus who engaged him for the final two races of the 1994 Formula 1 Grand Prix season, at Suzuka and Adelaide. From 1995 to 1997 Salo raced for Tyrell where he came fifth five times. He made a switch to Arrows in 1998 in whose colours, at Monaco, he drove superbly to finish fourth.
1999 was a big year for Salo. After taking the place of Ricardo Zonta at BAR for the Grand Prixs, the Finn took a call from Ferrari to substitute an injured Michael Schumacher. In the Maranello single-seater Sato could have scored his first GP win, at Hockenheim, but gave way to Irvine as he was going for the championship. With Ferrari he secured second in Germany and third at Monza.
In 2000 he signed a contract with Sauber and a year later was taken on by Toyota to develop the F1 car that would make its debut the following year.
In 2003 the Finnish driver decided to leave Formula 1 and take part in the Le Mans 24 Hour with the Audi R8 from the Audi Sport UK outfit. He also competed in the Champ World Car Series (previously known as CART championship) in the USA in a PK Racing Lola. He made the podium in Miami.
Salo, in 2004, made a big contribution to the development of the MC12 and the Ferrari 575 GTC, destined for use in the FIA GT. It was in this car that the Finn earned a splendid second place in the recent Spa 24 Hour, together with Vosse, Babini and Peter.
He is married to Noriko and they live with their two childrens in Switzerland. He loves rock music, strumming the guitar and having fun on his mountain bike and snowboard. His drink of choice is milk and pasta his favourite food.
Fabrizio De Simone's biography
Fabrizio De Simone Niquesa was born in Rome on 30 March 1971. His sporting career started in 1984 when he took part in the Italian Kart Championship, 100cc cadet class. After having just missed out on the title in 1985, in 1986, he secured the World Junior championship in the 100cc category. Over the following seasons he came runner-up in the Italian 100cc Int (1987), runner-up in the World Super 100cc (1988) and runner-up in the World Formula K 135cc class (1989). He again won the 100cc Super title in 1990.
De Simone made his Formula 3 debut and was named ‘Rookie of the Year’. He competed in F3 until 1993, scoring two wins.
In 1994 he switched to Formula 3000 and finished second in Barcelona. The following year he continued racing in F3000 and then drove well during an F1 test with Jordan, becoming their official test driver in 1996.
De Simone’s career took another change in 1997 when he made the move to the Italian Superturismo Championship with the official BMW team. He stayed until 1999 and topped the podium six times. He took part in the final few races of the European Turismo Championship with the AGS Audi team in 2000. In 2002, he competed in the same series with BMW Team Spain.
De Simone made his FIA GT debut in 2003 in the N-GT category. He was in the driving seat of a JMB Racing 360 Modena. Paired with Andrea Bertolini, De Simone claimed four wins (Barcelona, Oschersleben, Estoril and Monza) and four pole positions, he only just failed to secure the championship. In 2004 De Simone drove the Maserati Trofeo Light in the Daytona 24 Hour (USA). He raced for the Maserati of Washington outfit in the American GrandAm series. He has just started competing in the FIA GT with the G.P.C. Giesse squad together with Christian Pescatori. At the wheel of a Ferrari 360 GTC, he was victorious at Brno in the N-GT category.
Married to Francesca, he lives in Rome. His hobbies are diving, skiing and listening to music. Even though he does not have a favourite dish, he loves cooking.
Johnny Herbert's biography
Born in Brentwood, England, on 25 June 1964, Johnny Herbert started racing in go-karts at the age of ten. He won three titles between 1978 and 1982 and then moved on to Formula Ford 1600 and 2000. Thanks to his success at the Formula Ford Festival in 1985, Herbert made his debut in Formula 3 the following year and in 1987 he secured the British title.
Herbert raced in Formula 3000 in 1988 where he won at Jerez in Spain. Formula 1 scouts were aware of the Englishman’s talent and he duly made his debut with Benetton in 1989, finishing fourth. Over the course of the season Herbert also raced for Tyrell. The next year he turned out twice for Lotus, a team he would stay with until 1994, finishing in the points on numerous occasions.
At the same time as his F1 drives in ’90 and ’91, Herbert also took part in the Japanese F3000 championship. In 1991 he also scored one of the biggest wins of his career by claiming the Le Mans 24 Hour with Mazda. In 1994 he raced for Lotus, Ligier and Benetton again. He remained with Benetton until 1995, flanking Michael Schumacher: it was to be his best in F1. He won two races: Silverstone and Monza, finishing fourth overall. Herbert then joined Sauber from 1996 to 1998 where his best placings were two third spots at Monte Carlo and Hungary.
He signed for Stewart in 1999, securing himself a better-performing car. That season he earned the third F1 win of his career at the European GP at the Nьrburgring. In 2000, Stewart was bought by Jaguar but the new car did not prove to be as good as expected and did not bring any results of note. He opted out of Formula 1 and switched to the Sport category. In Europe and the USA he got behind the wheel of an Audi, Bentley and then an Audi again. Since 2001 he has won the Sebring 12 Hour and three ALMS races. He has also twice finished second at the Le Mans 24 Hour.
Herbert is one of the few drivers who can claim to have won at legendary circuits like Le Mans, Monza, Silverstone, Nьrburgring and Sebring.
He is married to Rebecca and has two childrens. They live in Monaco. In his spare time, he enjoys computers. His drink of choice is Red Bull and pasta with tomatoes and basilic his favourite food.
