Interlagos: Maserati qualifying race report

Bernoldi/Negrao's Maserati fourth at Interlagos

Interlagos (BR), 27 November 2010 - The N. 2 Maserati MC12 took fourth spot in the Qualifying Race courtesy of the Brazilian crew of Enrique Bernoldi and Xandinho Negrao. Though a newcomer here, Negrao turned out for the Vitaphone Racing Team in 2008.

The Brazilian pairing just missed out on completing a fine run of form after the free practice session and, especially, this morning's pole position. Negrao, starting up front, managed to hold off the pack and extend his lead before tyre wear saw him pegged back. Still, he was leading when he pitted but Tuner/Enge's N. 7 Aston Martin edged into the lead coming out of the pit lane.

What compromised things even further was the drive-through the race stewards slapped on the N. 2 Maserati for an irregularity during the tyre change. The penalty saw Bernoldi slip into fifth spot but the tough Brazilian fought his way into fourth by overtaking the N. 38 Lamborghini, driven by Scwager/Pastorelli, at the very end.

Overall leaders Bartels/Bertolini, in their N. 1 Maserati MC12, closed out in eighth place. Their efforts were hampered by the 40kg of ballast added to the car after the success of ballast. In tenth came the N. 33 car with Heger/Mueller on board. The duo did brilliantly to climb through the field after starting on the very last row.

The N.34 Maserati MC12 driven by another all-Brazilian crew, Daniel Serra and Francisco Longo, crossed the line in sixteenth. Serra drives in the Stock Car championship and is the son of Chico Serra, the Formula 1 driver from the early eighties; Longo, on the other hand, is CEO of Grupo Via Italia, Maserati's importer in Brazil, and winner of the Brazilian Endurance Championship in 2009 and 2010. Both have appeared in the Trofeo Maserati Brasile.

Xandinho Negrao: "We suffered a little from tyre wear and this meant that we lost the advantage we had built up after the start. We are in fourth; not an ideal spot to start tomorrow's Championship Race from, especially on this circuit. Still, I think we can do well".

The Championship Race will be held tomorrow, Sunday 28 November, from 3.00pm to 4.00pm (local time)

-source: maseraticorse.com