Enjoy a 360° view as you strap in and take a lap around the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on-board the Maserati GranTurismo that is racing in the 2016 GT4 series. These cars have been purchased by private drivers and teams before being modified to bring them in line with GT4 regulations. The main stages on which the cars will appear this season include the Pirelli World Challenge (PWC), in North America, the Competition102 GT4 European Series, the Euroseries by Nova Race as well as national GT championships.
The American PWC series is an intense one. Round one took place on March 6 at Austin, Texas and round two takes place this weekend in St Petersburg, Florida. It is then onto Barber Motorsport Park in Alabama on April 24 and May 22 it will be the turn of Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Canada to stage an event.
The Squadre Clienti Maserati that will appear in Europe, mainly in the Competition102 GT4 European Series, are Villorba Corse and Swiss Team. Scuderia Giudici is still deciding which series to enter while English outfit Ebor GT will compete in the British GT. Alongside these teams will be other, private, drivers who purchased a car and will line up for the occasional GT4 event, in one or more series.
The opening round in the Competition102 GT4 European Series is tabled for Monza, Italy, on April 24. It is then onto Pau, France, on May 15. Silverstone (Great Britain) is up next, on June 12, for a three-hour endurance event and then comes Spa, on July 10, for another long, two-hour event; both in combination with the British GT Championship.
The Squadre Clienti Maserati teams competing in Europe will get together at Vallelunga on April 7 for a group session. Maserati will provide the support as the drivers fine-tune their preparations for the upcoming season.
The GranTurismo MC GT4 itself is unchanged compared to the Trofeo version: a 4.700cc V8 engine, an electro-actuated transmission featuring paddle-shift commands, and a dry weight of 1410 kg. The main modifications have been the addition of an air duct to reduce the engine’s power by 35 hp, a newly-designed spoiler and a rear diffuser that has been tweaked to compromise its aerodynamic efficiency so that it conforms to GT4 rules.
Maserati will ensure technical support and trackside spares, both in Europe and the USA. This will give the teams the chance to compete on a level playing field.
There is also a plan to award the best driver and top Squadra Clienti Maserati competing in the 2016 season, provided they have appeared in at least one official race.
Save
