The Maserati GranTurismo GTS debuts in the Pirelli World Challenge
The Road America circuit will host Round 3 in the Maserati Trofeo World Series on the weekend of 28 June. This stage also marks a move away from Europe where the first two events, at Paul Ricard in France and Spielberg in Austria, were held.
The circuit will be hosting a Maserati single-make series for the first time. It is found close to Elkhart Lake, between Milwaukee and Green Bay, in Wisconsin. For the first time ever comes a new challenge for the drivers: the Trofeo Maserati North America (MNA) mini-series. There will be a further round at Virginia International Raceway, on 23 August, and one on 13 September at Laguna Seca during the Pirelli World Challenge weekend. The Maseratis will be in the GTS class and the drivers competing to see who is crowned the Maserati North America Champion 2015. The eventual winner will earn a spot at the last round in the Maserati Trofeo World Series, scheduled for Abu Dhabi, UAE, on 11 December.
Championship leader Romain Monti, will also be turning out for the Maserati Trofeo at Road America. The Frenchman moved into the lead thanks to a win and a third spot last time out in Austria, an event his closest rival Riccardo Ragazzi, missed. Monti now sits on 58 points and will have to fight off the Italian who is 22 points off the top.
Among the Americans making a reappearance will be Patrick Byrne. He made the podium last season and will by flanked by first-timer Guy Cosmo this year. Also returning is Nick Mancuso who will be trying to keep up the fine form he displayed in 2014. Other debutants are US driver Derek Hill and the all-Italian crew of Marco Fumagalli and Andrea Perlini. Adrien De Leener will be back competing for the team title.
The seventh round in the Pirelli World Challenge will be run on the same weekend. The race will be special as it will see the GTS-spec Maserati GranTurismo MC Trofeo make its first outing. The car is managed by team Vita4one and has German Michael Bartels in command. Bartels is famed for taking Maserati MC12 to several world GT1 titles.
The PWC championship is becoming evermore popular on the American motorsport scene. It is organised into various categories depending on each car's technical spec. Races last a maximum of 50' and the number of laps covered varies depending on the track.
Maserati Trofeo races from Road America can be viewed, in Europe, on Motors TV; in Italy a highlights show is broadcast on Odeon 24, channel 177, and channel on Sky's Rete Economy. More information on schedules will be published in the news section of the Maseraticorse.it website. Radio Monte Carlo will transmit live interviews with the drivers from trackside.
A presentation video of the round is also available at: http://we.tl/fvpA6J38De - youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWd1rfQ-R-k
Round 3 – Programme Local time
Friday 26 June Free practice 1: 08.45 – 09.45 Pre-qualifying: 14.50 – 15.30
Saturday 27 June Qualifying: 08:55 – 09:15 SuperPole: 09:25 – 09:45 Race 1: 12:15 – 13:00
Sunday 28 June Race 2: 12:15 – 13:00
