Though Maserati was once a dominant force in elite, top-level racing in the company’s earlier days, this hasn’t been the case as of late. Recognizing this reality, Maserati has recently opted to return to its roots, not only delivering its first-new supercar in over 15 years with the MC20 and its first all-new engine in more than 20 with the twin-turbo Nettuno V6, but the House of the Trident has now announced that it will be taking its new supercar platform racing, setting its sights on the GT Championship’s highly-competitive GT2 Class.
Coming on the heels of Maserati’s announcement of a limited run of 62 740-hp Project24 Supercar-spec MC20 cars, the Modena marque has kicked off its GT2 efforts with a test session at the Autodromo Riccardo Paletti circuit in Parma, Italy. Known simply as the Maserati GT2, this new MC20-based race platform takes inspiration from Maserati’s earlier, highly-successful MC12 GT1 Class racer. Born out of a collaboration between the Centro Stile Maserati and Maserati Engineering, this GT2 racer is powered by the MC20’s 621-hp 3.0-liter V6 powertrain, complete with Maserati’s F1-derived Twin Combustion engine tech and a six-speed sequential racing gearbox. Housing the V6 is an ultralight carbon fiber central monocoque chassis that’s been mated to suspension hardware that was developed specifically for the Maserati GT2 and consists of GP-spec equipment that’s fully adjustable fore and aft.
Riding on a set of lightweight nine-arm wheels that come wrapped in Pirelli P ZERO rubber and adorned in a retro-inspired bronze finish, the Maserati GT2 wears a full set of all-carbon fiber bodywork that sees the already sleek stock MC20’s body panels fitted with a pronounced aero kit that features a central hood scoop supplemented by massive intakes that flank the bodywork just ahead of both rear wheels, plus a massive adjustable rear wing, a louvered hood, and a front-end that’s been outfitted with a massive, low-slung horizontal splitter. This all-carbon bodywork also comes cloaked in a Maserati Corse-specific “Blu Infinito” livery. Fortified via a full FIA-approved roll-cage, the interior of the racer sports a single-seater setup with an integrated fire suppression system, a HANS device, all carbon interior panels, instrument housing, and center console, a removable paddle shifter-equipped carbon fiber steering wheel with fully-electronic power steering, and a custom lightweight carbon fiber dashboard that accommodates a 10” digital display.
Joining the marque’s ongoing Formula E efforts, Maserati’s MC20-based GT2 class race car is scheduled to make its official public and competition debut on June 27 at the 24 Hours of Spa in Belgium where it will face off with the rest of the industry’s most competitive GT2-spec race cars.
