XTREME MACHINE

Maserati's racing history is a patchwork of epic highs and long absences, so can the MCXtrema - a track only version of its latest supercar-bring back the glory days?

- JETHRO BOVINGDON

Even in Maserati’s rich, bizarre, dazzling, disastrous, triumphant, tragic, comedic and fascinating history, the story of the MC12 is quite a tale. It was conceived to return Maserati to top level motorsport and achieved multiple championships in a long career from 2004 to 2010. However, the twists and turns along the way are pure Maserati. Although, the first real controversy was that the MC12 was actually based on a Ferrari Enzo chassis and also featured its 6.0-litre V12 engine...

Initially, the MC12 had to fight to be homologated by the FIA. A battle it eventually won at the end of the 2004 season, despite having already competed in a number of races. The ACO, which organises Le Mans, simply wouldn’t allow the MC12 to race as it was too long and wide to suit GT1 regulations. Over the years the MC12 was subject to weight penalties, redesigned with a short nose configuration for the American Le Mans Series and gradually eroded from its ultimate form into a compromised, radically reined in shadow of itself.

But it continued to win. They couldn’t stop it. The MC12 was just so good right down to its (Ferrari derived) bones, that the race victories just kept on coming. Maserati chose to build on this legacy by, um, pulling out of motorsport again and still hasn’t returned at the highest level even as endurance racing enjoys a new golden era. It’ll be along eventually. Just when it all goes wrong, probably. It’s the Maserati way. Greatness must be followed by mediocrity, just as sure as pasta follows antipasti.