Maserati GB was once again proud to offer its support to Johnny Herbert’s Karting Challenge to raise funds for the Warwickshire and Northampton Air Ambulance.

Johnny Herbert who raced a Maserati MC12 in 2004, its debut year in the FIA GT Championship, has organised “the Challenge” for 13 years running, inviting racing drivers, celebrities, and friends to get together behind the wheel of 270cc go-karts. The race, which took place yesterday at the superb indoor go-kart venue “The Raceway” in North London, saw 22 teams and over 120 drivers competing in a three-hour endurance challenge. Amongst the drivers were: Le Mans 24 Hours winner Emanuele Pirro, ALMS racing driver Marino Franchitti, rising racing star Freddie Hunt, British Touring Car Driver Tom Onslow-Cole and TV presenters James Allen and Ted Kravitz.

Pole position was claimed by Fiona’s Flyers, who then went on to claim the fastest lap of the race, and in the process setting a new lap record. The celebrity shoot-out was won by the Junior British go-kart champion Joseph Riley, beating Oliver Oaks, the world go-kart champion.

The thrilling race was packed full of adrenaline filled and nail biting moments. After a flying final driver change “Pacha London” narrowly beat “Arbuthnot Latham Private Bank” to claim the top spot of the podium, and in third place was “Fiona’s flyers”. It was tight at the top with the top three teams being covered by less than 12 seconds after three hours of wheel-to-wheel racing action.

Maserati GB’s team, featuring F1 Racing’s picture editor Jonathan Reynolds, Autosport’s motoring journalist Charles Bradley, Owen Ready and Alistair Weaver from Sky motoring, and Newspress’s very own karting star Mark Robinson, qualified 17th after rapidly learning every twist and turn of the track. The team gained four places off of the start line; however, after some early driver changes, and the mandatory wheel change on a Westfield car, the team were down to 17th. In the dying laps they managed to claim 16th position.

With the auction of motoring racing memorabilia, team’s fees, and the teams who had paid the Westfield professionals to carry out their mandatory wheel change, over £20,000 was raised for the Warwickshire and Northampton Air Ambulance (www.wnaa.co.uk)