Maserati Return to Sebring with Pirelli

Maserati is to participate in the entire 2005 American Le Mans Series race calendar, following discussions between IMSA and Maserati Corse. After 48 years absence from Sebring the team will make its debut on 19 March with a factory racing car and has teamed up with Pirelli.

Andrea Bertolini, Maserati’s factory tester, will drive the car for the entire season. Pirelli’s test driver Fabio Babini will join him in Sebring and the name of the third driver is yet to be announced.

“This is an exciting challenge in a sporting sense, but it is also a great opportunity for
Pirelli to further promote its brand at a time when we are making great headway in the US market place,” stated Guy Mannino, president of Pirelli Tires North America. “Of course, being Italian, racing is second nature to us, and so it is with Maserati. But it is very nice that two companies, both focused on high technology high performance, both growing in today’s US market, can replay history together on the race track and entertain American race fans.”