FIA GT-RACE – SAKHIR – BAHRAIN
29 November 2005 - Maserati

Maserati MC12 drivers Michael Bartels and Timo Scheider provisional 2005 FIA GT champions

Michael Bartels and Timo Scheider have won the FIA GT championship in the GT1 class. The two Vitaphone Racing Team drivers came home fourth, the best placed finishers among the drivers going for the title.

Lamy/Gardel''s number 11 Ferrari 550 Maranello was fourth across the line but was later excluded by the sporting commissioners. The decision was taken after technical checks revealed that three litres of fuel, required by the regulations, were missing from the tanks. The team Labre, who fielded car number 11, have lodged an appeal. The award of the GT1 Drivers title is pending this appeal.

Maserati has capped an extraordinary year. The Trident company has already secured the GT1 class Constructors'' Cup at Istanbul and the team title (Vitaphone Racing Team) at Dubai. Five wins and twenty podium finishes in eleven races demonstrate the high standard of the Maserati MC12s.

The race was won by Christophe Bouchut and Antonio Garcia in a car fielded by Russian Age Racing. Next came Philipp Peter and Jamie Davies (MC12 JMB Racing). Davies also set the fastest lap of 1''56''478 on lap 61.

Third spot was filled by Kumpen/Hezemans/Longin''s Corvette.

Michael Bartels and Timo Scheider took fifth in the MC12, just behind Pedro Lamy and Gabriele Gardel who, with this result, claimed the title. Karl Wendlinger and Andrea Bertolini were unable to defend their overall lead after their bevel gear gave way on lap nine. The driver from Sassuolo was holding second at the time, behind Bouchut. It was the first retirement of the season for the pair.

Bad luck also hit the second Vitaphone Racing Team MC12. It was forced to pull out three laps from the end of the race. This time the transmission shaft on Fabio Babini''s car failed when he was in third. The Vitaphone number 9 was still classified ninth (later eighth when Lamy/Gardel were excluded).

This race marks the end of the 2005 FIA championship, the highlight of which was the 24 Hours of Spa. Michael Bartels and Timo Scheider claimed the title with 75 points. Next came Andrea Bertolini and Karl Wendlinger on 71. In the team series, Vitaphone (Maserati) won with 139 points from JMB (Maserati), on 103. In the GT1 Constructors'' Cup, Maserati truimphed (227) over Ferrari (116) and Corvette (54).

www.maserati.co.uk

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