Da http://www.sportscarpros.com
Italian Job
The talking point of the weekend, of course, was the Maserati MC12 decision by
the FIA. Described by one eminent motor racing member as a “one of the biggest
fuck ups in motor racing history,” the car was not accepted for homologation. The
door is open for negotiation, and the car could still race this year, but the
message from the FIA is clear: I don’t care who you are, don’t screw this up.
The basic idea is that Maserati, or Ferrari, should have taken an Enzo, stuck
some slick tyres and a big rear wing on it, developed the brakes and engine along
the lines of N-GT rules, and placed it on the track. What Maserati has done is take
an Enzo, develop it enormously, and then re-homologated it as a road car and
present that for racing. The FIA said ‘no’. This is not the spirit, and crucially this
has been built into the racing homologation process.
Blow the Bloody Doors Off
From Maserati’s point of view, the car was built to FIA regulations (with Ferrari
doing quite well in F1, you couldn’t expect them to go with the ACO, now, could
you?) on the understanding that the regulations would fall into line in 2006. The
car is too wide, and the overhangs too long to be accepted into the GTS class by
the ACO, but when it is squashed into the dimensions, will be a GTS class car.
When the proposal to amalgamate the rules was brought forward to 2005,
Maserati was the only one to vote against it, as it would need to homologate one
car for 2004, and another for 2005. The Ferrari 575 would also need an ACO kit
over the winter, which would cost 150,000 Euro. On the grounds of cost, argued
Maserati, 2005 is not on. On the grounds of competition, now that the MC12 has
been refused homologation, 2005 is its only hope.
There is no Sanity Claus
Actually, it isn’t at all. Maserati has opened negotiation with other teams in the
championship and, if it secures unanimous approval, it can go for a fax vote from
the World Council and could still be on the track at Imola, no doubt heavily
handicapped.
The FIA has taken a tough stance against the Maserati and needed to. It is a
high-profile manufacturer, partner company with Ferrari. If they can’t get a car like
the MC12 through, the others don’t stand a chance. The result is that suddenly the
Ferrari 575, the 550, the Aston Martin, the Corvette C6, the Lamborghini
Murcielago and the Saleen S7R all retain their value next year. No longer will
teams be looking at the Maserati and waiting for something cheaper to come
along and beat it, which was unlikely ever to happen.
Other manufacturers thinking of taking on the Maserati with equally exotic cars
will now think again. There is no point in spending such sums of money, because
the car will race against those that cost far less, and may get beaten by them.
And in the End………………….
And finally, the GTS class is safely anchored where it should be – behind the
prototypes. There are those who always maintained that the GTS cars could never
beat an out-and-out prototype, but the point is that if manufacturers wanted to race
what they sold, and win with them, and the pressure to get rid of open top sports
cars would be huge. My preference has always been the closed prototypes, such
as the Audi R8C and the Bentley, and I would love to see the MC12 as a GTP car,
bored out, up-rated, and taking on Audi.
Lazy Sunday Afternoon
Sadly, I believe, this dream will stay in my head. Back to reality, Silverstone, the
next round, in little more than a month, more great racing, more great drives. Six
hours on Saturday night, it was widely agreed in the pressroom, is the way to go.
Cracking racing, and home in time for Sunday lunch. Spot on.
Andrew Cotton
July 2004