Photo: Maserati
If you’re a fan of Maserati or of the Trofeo MC World Series, then this is bad news for you. After six years, the Italian carmaker decided to conclude the championship based on the GranTurismo model.
The mono-marque racing series was created in 2010, when the Italian Pietro Zumerle became champion at the end of the year. In 2011, the trophy remained in its home country, Italy, after it was won by David Baldi. The Italian dominance came to an end when Belgian driver Renaud Kupens took two successive crowns, in 2012 and 2013, but he too later lost it to Swiss Mauro Calamia in 2014.
This year, after the final race of the season, hosted by Abu Dhabi on the Yas Marina Circuit, Frenchman Romain Monti wrote history after he took the last ever title.
The cars used in the Trofeo MC World Series were the GranTurismo MC, a model based on the road-going GranTurismo, only lighter and more aerodynamic, which cost between $169,623 and $172,906. Power came from the stock 4.7-liter V8, developing 444 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque, linked to a sequential gearbox.
Teams were not allowed to tune their engines, but they could make adjustments to the suspensions or the braking system.
It is not yet known why Maserati made this decision, but the good news is that the company is not retiring from motorsport, as it already designed an FIA approved GT4-spec GranTurismo, which will be seen rumbling around circuits around the globe next year, Motor Authority.com reports.
The Italian company insisted that it would only be providing the GT4 teams with spare parts and technical support, and it would share its experience picked up in the six seasons of the Trofeo MC.
The Trofeo Maserati series was started back in 2003 by Maserati Corse and it initially consisted of only one series, until 2010, when the Trofeo MC was introduced.
This year, after the final race of the season, hosted by Abu Dhabi on the Yas Marina Circuit, Frenchman Romain Monti wrote history after he took the last ever title.
The cars used in the Trofeo MC World Series were the GranTurismo MC, a model based on the road-going GranTurismo, only lighter and more aerodynamic, which cost between $169,623 and $172,906. Power came from the stock 4.7-liter V8, developing 444 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque, linked to a sequential gearbox.
Teams were not allowed to tune their engines, but they could make adjustments to the suspensions or the braking system.
It is not yet known why Maserati made this decision, but the good news is that the company is not retiring from motorsport, as it already designed an FIA approved GT4-spec GranTurismo, which will be seen rumbling around circuits around the globe next year, Motor Authority.com reports.
The Italian company insisted that it would only be providing the GT4 teams with spare parts and technical support, and it would share its experience picked up in the six seasons of the Trofeo MC.
The Trofeo Maserati series was started back in 2003 by Maserati Corse and it initially consisted of only one series, until 2010, when the Trofeo MC was introduced.
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