15.12.2003 SCUDERIA FERRARI OF WASHINGTON RETURN MASERATI TO NORTH AMERICAN SPORTSCAR RACING

The Scuderia Ferrari of Washington will reintroduce Maserati to North American racing in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series. The Scuderia, Rolex Series GT Champions in 2002 and 2003, will enter a Maserati Trofeo Light in the GT class for the 2004 season.

"We wanted to return to the Rolex Series to defend our championships," explained SFoW Team Manager Glenn Marquis, "and we wanted to have the right car for the 2004 season.  We've just completed two weeks of very successful testing in France, including a full endurance test, and we're absolutely delighted with the Maserati. The engine sounds just like the Maserati 450S of the past, and I think fans are going to love this car.  It's going to add a new element to North American racing."

Initial appearance for the SFoW Maserati Trofeo Light will be at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona.  The driver lineup, both for the Rolex 24 and the balance of the 2004 season, will be announced in early January.

The Maserati Trofeo Light is a development of the Trofeo coupe used in Maserati's one-marque series, and is built by Maserati Corse, racing arm of the Maserati factory.  The Trofeo Light makes extensive use of light-weight body panels to achieve the Rolex Series minimum weight of 2550 pounds.  The 4.2 litre V8 engine is rated at 430 horsepower.

The Maserati marque has a great racing history in North America. Wilbur Shaw won the Indianapolis 500 in 1939 and 1940 driving an eight-cylinder Maserati 8CTF, and the "Birdcage" Maserati and V8-powered 450S, driven by Carroll Shelby, Jim Hall, Jim Rathmann and others, were consistent winners in U.S. sports car racing in the 1950s and '60s.  Juan Manuel Fangio and Jean Behra drove a Maserati 450S to win the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1957.