Maserati Scores Second Podium of ALMS Season

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, August 21, 2005 - The Maserati Corse MC 12 of Andrea Bertolini and Fabrizio De Simone has shown its speed and competitiveness throughout its first American Le Mans season but has often been caught in the wrong place at the wrong time during full course yellows. Todays Generac 500 at Road America, the seventh round of the ALMS season, was no exception as the team went down a lap early in the race and looked like all of their hard work of the weekend would be in vain. In fact, Bertolini had qualified the MC12 within 1.4 seconds of the dominant Corvette on the pole. But with just twenty minutes to go, some bad luck for the competitors vaulted Maserati onto the GT1 podium as first the Pacific Coast Corvette blew a left-rear Yokohama which shredded the body work and put the car out of the race. Moments later, the left-front Michelin flew off the Acemco Saleen as it was exiting the pits slamming the car into the pit wall. This was the second podium of the season for the Italian Trident following their thirdplace finish at Road Atlanta in April. Forty-eight years ago, in 1957, racing legends Juan Manuel Fangio and Jean Behra won the 12 Hours of Sebring with a Pirelli-shod 450S, Maseratis last victory in the U.S. with a factory car. In 2005, Maserati is participating with restrictions in the entire ALMS race calendar with one Maserati MC12 supported by Risi Competizioni of Houston. Maserati is also competing in the FIA GT series in Europe and is currently dominating the season. The eighth round of the ALMS is scheduled for Sunday, September 4, 2005 at the Labor Day Weekend Grand Prix of Mosport in Bowmanville, Ontario one hour east of Toronto. The race will be televised live by Speed TV. More information about Pirellis motorsport activities, including the Pirelli Girls, can be found at www.us.pirelli.com.