Maserati GT2, the Brand’s new track sports car devoted to competition – unveiled in late June at the 24 Hours of Spa – made its racing debut at the Circuit Paul Ricard, in the final round of the 2023 Fanatec GT2 European Series.
The Maserati GT2, driven by Leonardo Gorini and Luca Pirri, standard-bearers of LP Racing – the first team to bring a Trident car to the track – immediately distinguished itself thanks to an incredible performance during the race weekend: after the pole position on Friday, it climbed on the second step of the podium in Race 1 on Saturday and finished in the top ten in Race 2, in seventh place. A debut that promptly reignited the glorious memories of Maserati’s racing history.
Ushering in the 2024 season ahead, the new 100% Made in Modena racing creation will officially be a competitor in the championship dedicated to the most eye-catching and high-performance grand touring cars.
The debut in the European series signifies Maserati’s triumphant return to GT competition, where it made its mark in the 2000s with the winning MC12, showcasing a string of successes of as many as 13 titles between Constructors,’ Teams,’ and Drivers’ Championships.
A worthy successor to a car that was the stuff of dreams for fans and enthusiasts of the Italian brand alike, the Maserati GT2 is a masterpiece of performance tuned up in the footsteps of its glorious track forerunner and those of the Maserati MC20 super sports car, a road-going creation that shares with its spiritual sibling the extraordinary Nettuno V6 Twin Turbo engine, taken to an even higher level to tackle the challenges between the kerbs.
Maserati thus marks another major milestone: after having announced its new Brand racing strategy in late 2022, it has lent its name to the greatest categories of international motorsport in 2023. Maserati has rebuilt the bridge between the past, present, and future of motorsport, where the Trident has always carved out a place for itself among the greats.
Davide Grasso, Maserati CEO: “With its return to GT competition, Maserati is writing another significant chapter in the history of the most exciting and ambitious motorsport, carving out a place for itself where it had already left its mark in the past as a result of a trail of indelible successes. From the racetrack to the road, we always been seeking challenges to fuel and realise the desire to convey emotion behind the wheel. The Maserati GT2 is our passport to the brand’s future in the racing world.”
Giovanni Sgro, Head of Maserati Corse: “We couldn’t have asked for a better debut. The car today proved to be really competitive, and we are very pleased with this result. For us, getting back on the track is like coming home. Maserati has a long history in racing. It’s something that has always belonged to us and has set us apart. The Trident’s DNA is made up of passion and competition, which translates to sensational cars dedicated to our series production and challenges on the track. Seeing the Maserati GT2 on the starting grid in a GT championship is a reminder of the Brand’s glorious past, which is once again taking shape and moving us forward into a new era of motorsport, where we once again strive to be one of the big players.”
