The Maserati GT2 Stradale, the most sporting incarnation of the MC20 heavily derived from the successful variant used in the GT2 European Championship, after its global preview on August 16th, 2024 at The Quail during Monterey Car Week in California, has now been tested on road (and track) to be available on the market starting next April in Europe.
The actual debut of the road version of the GT2, which brought the Trident back to racing in closed-wheel GT championships, took place in Andalusia with a driving experience dedicated to key stakeholders and clients from around the world. They had the opportunity to test its character both on country roads and on track, emphasizing both souls of the supercar: its racing DNA and the typical comfort of Italian grand tourers.
Maserati GT2 Stradale is the ultimate road-legal racer
From the charming city of Marbella, the test route wound through the panoramic curves of Sierra de las Nieves National Park to reach the private Ascari circuit near Ronda, the pearl of Andalusia. The 5,425-meter track named after the Italian Formula 1 world champion, who also raced with Maserati, recalls the iconic tradition of the brand that this Maserati GT2 Stradale now carries forward.
Under the engine cover of the Maserati GT2 Stradale, in a mid-rear position, sits the now-iconic 3.0 V6 twin-charged known as Nettuno. The unit has received a 10-horsepower increase compared to the variant it derives from, setting the total output at 640 horsepower at 7,500 rpm. The torque figure stands at 720 Nm available from 3,000 rpm, useful for ensuring excellent chronometric performance also thanks to a weight reduction of 60 kilograms compared to the “standard” variant, achieved through the use of lightweight materials. In essence, the Maserati GT2 Stradale project centers on the desire to draw inspiration from motorsport.
The new Maserati GT2 Stradale is a track-born vehicle homologated for road use, capable of combining extreme performance with the possibility of uncompromising driving in maximum available comfort. The maximum achievable speed is 324 km/h with acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h possible in just 2.8 seconds, figures that make it the most agile rear-wheel drive in its category.
The aerodynamic refinement is also notable, directly derived from track experience in the aforementioned GT2 European Championship. There are indeed 500 kilograms of downforce measured at 280 km/h, while maintaining the same 40/60 front/rear balance as the “normal” MC20. Specific data shows that downforce increases from 35 kilograms to 130 kilograms at the front, thanks to the adoption of specific elements like a new splitter, a dedicated hood, and wheel arch openings, while at the rear it increases from 110 kilograms to 370 kilograms thanks to the introduction of a full-width wing adjustable in three positions and a revised diffuser.
Inside the cabin, new carbon fiber seats are noticeable, along with a central panel derived from the racing GT2 placed between them. When the manufacturer began working on the MC20 project, they had already decided to return to racing. This philosophy and the brand’s racing DNA gave birth to the Maserati GT2, which brought the Italian manufacturer back to victory in the Fanatec GT2 European Series championship.
The GT2 category is the ideal platform for Maserati’s sporting heritage to satisfy the desires of racing enthusiast clients, private teams, and gentleman drivers, in a project that is an integral part of the brand’s motorsport strategy to bring it back to the podium in competitions. The new Maserati GT2 Stradale is the most tangible proof of this.