Flash.(Competition)(Race Engineering and Future Engines)

No Maserati?

Maserati's plans to take over the GT racing world have been set back by the FIA's refusal to grant homologation of the controversial new MC12 as an FIA GT race car (AW, Jan. 26). The Italian manufacturer is on schedule to complete 25 road-going versions by the end of this month and has been testing the race car extensively. Maserati intended to race it at Imola in September, prior to a full FIA GT campaign in 2005. The FIA's decision means the car now has nowhere to race. The ACO, the Le Mans 24 Hour organizer whose regulations are also applied to the new Le Mans Endurance Series, has accepted the MC12 for its GTS division, but this approval is of no practical use to Maserati because it is subject to reduced front and rear overhangs and overall vehicle width. Word is these dimensions are why the FIA is hesitating to homologate the car in the first place.

So now what?

The FIA GT and ACO GTS rules will be merged in the near future. Last year the FIA World Motor Sport Council appeared to encourage Maserati by rejecting a proposal that carbon-chassis FIA GT cars must be closely based on a model manufactured in a quantity of at least 100 cars. This cleared the company to produce only 25 of its V12 supercars, although it will actually build 49. Maserati offered no comment, but word is that the Italian automaker is preparing an offer to handicap the MC12 so that it can be raced in FIA GT as planned before the end of the season.

Cosworth restructures

Cosworth Racing in ...