28.08.2004 "For us it will be a special weekend because this will the car's maiden race after eight months of testing and development" AF Corse Maserati driver Andrea Bertolini looks forward to Imola

Italian racing driver Andrea Bertolini, 30 years old, has been taking part in the FIA GT Championship since 2001.

His rapid progress and the impressive results he has scored in a relatively short racing career meant that he received the LG Super Racing Weekend 'Driver Performance of the Year' award last year.

With four victories for JMB Racing last season, as well as four pole positions, he finished fourth in the N-GT drivers' classification.

He has been a test driver for the Maserati this year, and after competing for GPC Giesse at Spa, will race the MC12 alongside Mika Salo at Imola.

“The Imola track is very technical for drivers, and Friday's work on the set-up will be crucial to find the best compromise in terms of balancing the car, and also in order to choose the tyres for the race.

"If it is likely to be hot, as well as the tyres, it will also be necessary to work on saving the brakes.

"The circuit's most interesting corners are the Piratella and the Acque Minerali, but I think that it will be possible to see a lot of overtaking under braking at the Rivazza and the Variante Bassa.

"For us, Maserati drivers, it will be a special weekend. Not only because this is our home race track, just a few kilometres away from the Maserati factory, but also because this will the car's maiden race after eight months of testing and development.

"The whole team is happy to have the opportunity to meet the other competitors and to start to get ready for next season. After all, there's no test like the race itself!” 

All four drivers took part in a preparatory test at Mugello on Thursday, when Johnny Herbert and Fabrizio De Simone drove the MC12 for the first time.