{"id":53909,"date":"2026-09-04T11:47:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T09:47:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.italpassion.fr\/?p=53909"},"modified":"2026-09-04T11:47:10","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T09:47:10","slug":"this-retired-maserati-gt4-just-beat-a-ferrari-f430-and-a-600-ch-alfa-romeo-4c-in-a-car-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.italpassion.fr\/en\/maserati\/cette-maserati-gt4-a-la-retraite-vient-de-battre-une-ferrari-f430-et-une-alfa-romeo-4c-de-600-ch-lors-dune-course-automobile\/","title":{"rendered":"This retired Maserati GT4 just beat a Ferrari F430 and a 600 HP Alfa Romeo 4C in a car race"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Maserati GranTurismo MC GT4 was the customer racing version of the GranTurismo<\/a> a road car equipped with the V8 engine developed in collaboration with Ferrari. In 2009, the brand unveiled the GranTurismo MC Concept, which foreshadowed a track version and paved the way for a one-make championship launched in 2010: the Trofeo Maserati GranTurismo MC. The cars in this series are configured very similarly to a GT4, but with factory-specific technical regulations that allow for greater flexibility, notably a slightly lower weight limit and specific aerodynamic features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Maserati Granturismo MC Concept and Harald Wester, former chief technical officer at Maserati (the golden age)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Given the success of the Trofeo (which ends in late 2015) and the surge in popularity of the GT4 class, Maserati<\/a> has decided to homologate its car using a compliance kit to transform the older Trofeo models and the new chassis into true GT4s. To meet homologation requirements, Maserati must revise the aerodynamics (reducing the size of the rear wing and front splitter), add weight, and recalibrate the engine to comply with the Balance of Performance (BoP). As a result, power drops from 460 to approximately 430 CV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Maserati Granturismo GT4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The year 2016 marked the model\u2019s widespread entry into world championships. Thanks to its melodious 4.7L naturally aspirated V8 engine, the car is remarkably reliable and excels on fast circuits thanks to its top speed. On the other hand, its imposing size and heavy weight (set by the BoP at around 1,410 kg) make it less agile than its mid-engine competitors in tight corners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Britcar Endurance Championship Era (2020\u20132022) <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Starting in 2019, the GranTurismo MC GT4 was withdrawn from top-tier professional championships, replaced by newer, more compact generations of GT4 cars. It then began its second life, becoming highly sought after for national club championships (such as Britcar in the United Kingdom) and \u00abModern Classics\u00bb historic racing series (such as the Masters GT Trophy), where its owners often take the opportunity to free it from its period-specific restrictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This is the case with the MC GT4 discussed in this article. The car\u2019s true British turning point came when it became jointly owned by Vance Kearney (a seasoned GT driver) and Richard Dougal, founder of RNR Performance Cars. This shop immediately earned a reputation as a master craftsman in the maintenance, restoration, and track preparation of supercars, particularly the Ferrari 360 and F430 Challenge models entered in competition. Richard Dougal and his team have been named \u00abPrep Firm of the Year\u00bb three times by the British Ferrari motorsports community. Starting in 2021, the duo entered the Maserati in the highly competitive Britcar Endurance Championship (in Class 4), where it competed against Cupra TCRs, Ginetta G55s, and other top-tier Audis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u00abRNR\u00bb Technical Revolution and the Italian Triumph<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After competing in modern endurance racing, the team is reorienting the car toward sprint races and \u00abModern Classics\u00bb series, through a complete rebuild and conversion of the vehicle. This is where it is \u00abfreed\u00bb from the regulatory restrictions imposed by the GT4 category. The carbon fiber intake has been enlarged and paired with an \u00abInconel\u00bb stainless steel exhaust system. The result: The engine now delivers a gross power output of 485 CV at a blistering 7,200 rpm, with 530 Nm of torque.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In May 2024, Richard Dougal raced it solo at the prestigious Masters Historic Festival on the main Brands Hatch GP circuit, posting excellent lap times in the Masters GT Trophy class (which includes GTs from 2007 to 2018). It even managed to take the lead in the GT4 class standings against Aston Martin Vantages and Ginnetas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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August 9, 2026 marks the high point in the history of this chassis. Competing in the Modified class of the Hitek Alfa Romeo & Italian Intermarque Championship, Richard Dougal\u2019s white Maserati dominated the event. This overall victory came against a Ferrari 430, an Alfa Romeo 4C tuned to 600 ch<\/a> and a Maserati Trofeo V8<\/a>, has definitively cemented this GranTurismo GT4\u2019s place in the history of Italian racing at Brands Hatch, just as the track was celebrating the dual centennial of its layout and Maserati\u2019s involvement in racing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An MC GT4 \u2018evo\u2019 built for short races<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The \u00abIndy\u00bb circuit at Brands Hatch is short, extremely undulating, and offers no forgiveness for poorly managed weight transfer\u2014especially in a car that weighs 1,410 kg on the scale.\u00a0For the 20-minute sprint races at the Festival Italia, the heavy endurance refueling system\u2014formerly used in Britcar\u2014was replaced with a more compact and lightweight fuel tank, lowering the center of gravity. RNR abandoned the original setups in favor of \u00d6hlins Racing adjustable coilover shocks. The spring rates were stiffened at the front to limit dive during hard braking at Paddock Hill Bend, while maintaining some flexibility at the rear to maximize traction coming out of the slow corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Although the body retains the MC GT4\u2019s elegant white silhouette, several panels have been modified: a redesigned flat carbon fiber underbody extends toward a more prominent rear diffuser. The adjustable carbon-fiber rear wing has been repositioned with slightly higher mounts to capture cleaner airflow and stabilize the rear end in the ultra-fast section. In short, it\u2019s an optimized and sleek Maserati MC GT4 that lit up the Festival Italia. A good omen, then, as\u2019a new GT4<\/a> is in the works at Maserati Corse, which can already celebrate the GT2's successes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To learn more, here's our video on the Maserati Granturismo Trofeo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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