The Formula 1 circuit in Shanghai, China, will be the setting for the final round in the 2012 Maserati Trofeo MC World Series. This season the drivers have competed on three continents: the opening races were held in Europe (Jarama, Portimao, Imola and Paul Ricard), the penultimate race in the United States (Sonoma) and now it is on to Asia. We can safely say that the Maserati Trofeo has gone global.
The five rounds have highlighted the drivers’ talent. Renaud Kuppens, from Belgium, has been one of the stars and, with two races to come in Shanghai, has a great chance of claiming the overall crown. The title would sit nicely alongside the Maserati Trofeo Europa (which he won after totalling the most points in Europe). The Konvex Motorsport driver now leads the Overall standings with 168 points and holds a 44-point lead over Fascicolo/Sernagiotto. Also in the running are Simoni/Ragazzi (138) and Andrea Dromedari (136), who has improved in the second half of the season.
The title is still not a mathematical certainty for Kuppens but, with 42 points and the points deduction of the worst two races of the same event, still to play for, his advantage means that he heads to China in a calm frame of mind,safe in the knowledge that he does not have to win at all costs.
There will be many well-known Maserati Trofeo faces on the starting grid along with a few new entries from Hong Kong and Singapore. Representing China will be Yu Qi and Wei Wang, two journalists who will turn out in the Bower& Wilkins VIP car.
Video clips will be available in the days following the race at www.thenewsmarket.com , while the www.maseraticorse.com portal will publish in-depth reports along with all the tables, images and driver interviews. Eurosport will transmit a highlights show of the action from Shanghai over the coming weeks.
RMC, Radio Monte Carlo, is the Trofeo’s media partner and will, as usual, publicise and report the events. More information, updates, interviews, an image gallery and videos can be found in the Blog Sport section of the www.radiomontecarlo.net website.
The programme
Friday 2 November
Free practice 1 – Local time 10.20 – 11.05
Free practice 2 – Local time 12.35 – 13.20
Qualifying 1 – Local time 15.50 – 16.10
Qualifying 2 – Local time 16.30 – 16.50
Saturday 3 November
Race 1 – Local time 16.25 – 17.15
Sunday 4 November
Race 2 – Local time 10.20 – 11.10
Photo: credits Maserati/Mario Chiarappa