At Monza, where history clings to every kerb and the air still hums with echoes of speed, the 2026 GT2 European Series powered by Pirelli opened with a statement that felt less like a beginning and more like a declaration. In a weekend charged with expectation and legacy, Maserati S.p.A. and its Corse programme arrived not merely to participate, but to dominate.
From the very first laps, the Maserati GT2 machine set the tone for what would become a standout season opener. Saturday’s Race 1 unfolded into a showcase of precision and composure as Antoine Potty of i4Race converted early momentum into outright victory, steering the Trident to the front of the field. Hot on his heels, the pairing of Stefan Rosina and Gerhard Tweraser for LP Racing completed a striking one-two finish, underlining the car’s pace across multiple teams and driver combinations.
The opening act at Monza was not just about raw speed, but about rhythm under pressure. After a flurry of pit stops that reshuffled the order, the Maserati entries surged back to the front, demonstrating both consistency and race intelligence. Tweraser’s defensive resolve in the closing stages ensured the lead positions remained firmly in Trident hands, even under sustained pressure from rivals.
Further down the order, the Masters category delivered its own story of control and authority. Philippe Joseph Prette, already a proven benchmark with back-to-back championship pedigree in prior seasons, once again asserted himself with a commanding win in class. His performance added depth to Maserati’s weekend, reinforcing the brand’s competitiveness across categories rather than in a single headline result.
In Pro-Am, Roberto Pampanini and Mauro Calamia of DINAMIC Motorsport secured a valuable podium finish, while Thomas Yu Lee, alongside Niccolò Pirri on his Maserati debut, impressed with a pole position and a competitive fourth place finish in class. The blend of experience and fresh talent gave the grid a distinctly dynamic edge, with the Maserati GT2 proving a platform capable of elevating both.
Sunday’s Race 2 shifted the narrative from dominance at the front to resilience through adversity. Prette once again delivered a masterclass in recovery and pace, climbing from eleventh overall to finish fifth while retaining the Masters class victory. It was a drive defined by patience and precision, each lap carving space through a fiercely competitive field.
In Pro-Am, Calamia and Pampanini continued their consistent form, converting steady pace into another podium finish. Pirri and Yu Lee followed closely, keeping pressure on the front runners in their category and further reinforcing the depth of Maserati’s presence across the field. Not every story ended in celebration, however, as early retirements for Potty and the Rosina-Tweraser pairing reminded the paddock of the unforgiving nature of endurance racing at Monza.
Across both races, the weekend’s results painted a broader picture of strength and stability. From class victories to outright pace, the Maserati GT2 platform proved both competitive and reliable, a crucial combination in a championship that continues to grow in scale and intensity.
Vincent Biard, Head of Maserati Corse, captured the sentiment from the paddock, highlighting the significance of performance consistency and driver confidence. He noted that the opening round confirmed the competitiveness and reliability of the GT2 package, while also emphasising the pride of achieving such results during Maserati’s 100th year in racing, a milestone that ties present performance to a century of track-born heritage and innovation.
The weekend also reinforced Maserati’s broader commitment to top-level GT racing. Alongside its competition entries, the brand continues its role as official car supplier of the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, where the Maserati GT2 Stradale serves as Safety Car and MCPURA leads the field as Leading Car. It is a visible extension of the Trident’s presence, bridging performance engineering with championship operations.
As the paddock prepares to move beyond Italy, attention now turns to Spa-Francorchamps, followed by rounds at Misano, Zandvoort, and Portimão. If Monza is any indication, the 2026 season is shaping into a campaign defined by close margins, fierce category battles, and a Maserati squad intent on turning momentum into legacy.
