Driving the Maserati GT2 Stradale: A race-bred supercar that still works on real roads

A gentle knock on my window interrupted the moment. “Excuse me, but are you going to drive it?” asked a concerned Maserati representative. Shaken from my reverie, I grinned and offered a thumbs-up.

I was strapped into the Maserati GT2 Stradale, resplendent in its bespoke purplish livery, fully absorbed by its racing-bred cockpit. Inside, the GT2 Stradale embraces an almost monastic austerity. Without carpets, you’re left with exposed carbon fibre flooring and a carbon-fibre steering wheel that feels purposeful in your hands. This is what petrolheads lovingly refer to as a “carbon tub”.

The design strikes a delicate balance: aggressively sporty, yet surprisingly habitable for daily use. Where carbon doesn’t dominate, Alcantara does – applied liberally to eliminate glare and add tactile luxury.

Evidence of obsessive engineering abounds. The centre console is raised 50mm, positioning it closer to the driver for more intuitive interaction with the rotary drive-mode controller. While an infotainment touchscreen exists, it doesn’t dominate the interior architecture. The digital gauges are legible and refreshingly straightforward. Most functions, including those mounted on the steering wheel, rely on simple push buttons. There’s a lesson in restraint here that certain Maranello designers might consider.

The central mode selector allows you to cycle through driving modes with a simple rotation, while swiping across the face reveals damper settings that can be adjusted independently of any mode. It's intuitive – exactly how all great interfaces should be.

The GT2 Stradale is equipped with a fabulous Sonus Faber audio system. A six-speaker Premium sound system comes as standard, while the 12-speaker High Premium system with surround sound, with a 12-channel amplifier with 695 watts of output, is available as an upgrade.

RACE CAR CHIC

Much of the mechanical DNA mirrors the recently launched MCPura, retaining the same dampers, though spring rates have been increased by 10 per cent. The gearbox – Tremec's eight-speed dual-clutch unit – remains, but shift speeds in Sport and Corsa modes are now 0.2 seconds quicker than in the standard MCPura. Under the engine cover sits the 640 hp, 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged Nettuno V6, a 10-horsepower improvement over its predecessor. This makes the GT2 Stradale the most powerful road-going Maserati ever conceived, capable of dispatching 0-100 km/h sprint in a mere 2.8 seconds, with a top speed of 324 km/h.

The exterior styling demands attention without resorting to vulgarity. The silhouette is dominated by a vast carbon-fibre rear wing, fixed yet adjustable, mounted high as a declaration of aerodynamic intent. The face has been sharpened, the grille rendered more angular and flanked by substantial intakes for brake cooling. Vents slice through the bonnet and front wings, while the engine breathes through enlarged intakes positioned above the rear haunches.

Additional visual departures include prominent brake-cooling ducts, bonnet vents, fender extractors, and enlarged engine air intakes atop the rear quarters. With its more aggressive front splitter and larger radiator inlets, the GT2 Stradale sacrifices its front luggage compartment, but retains a reasonably proportioned 100-litre boot behind the engine. The underfloor has been revised with additional strakes to channel airflow more efficiently through the enlarged rear diffuser.

The 20-inch single-nut forged wheels with a racing design, the size of which is based on the car’s loads, are also taken from its track-winning GT2 (more on that later), providing a reduction of about 19 kg compared to the basic version in current MCPura models.

The car can be fitted with a front lift that raises the nose by 35 mm at an angle of 3 degrees to accommodate travel along even the roughest routes, making it ready for daily driving.

Finally, the paintwork. The Matte Digital Aurora – a Fuoriserie (custom) palette – was chosen as the launch colour of the car. The matte blue with shades of red and a magenta mica is nothing short of magnificent. As evening sunlight strikes the bodywork, specks of purplish gold shimmer across the surface, revealing the paint's complex, prismatic character. “I think I'm in love,” I muttered, engaging first gear for my drive into the Tuscan hills.

WHO’S THAT AT THE DOOR?

We know the MCPura Cielo is exceptional, but let’s acknowledge an uncomfortable truth: Maserati has historically prioritised the Grand Tour – that elegant, high-speed cruise along the Italian Riviera – over surgical precision. It has traditionally favoured soundtrack over scalpel, style over savagery.

Well, prepare yourselves. The GT2 Stradale represents the moment Maserati sets aside the Chianti and picks up a battle-axe. Inspired by the GT2 race car that dominated the Fanatec GT2 European Series in 2024, it nonetheless retains a distinctly Trident-shaped surprise. This isn’t the unhinged track weapon you might anticipate, but make no mistake: this mid-engined creation is quintessentially Maserati. It takes the brilliant MCPura, injects it with pure adrenaline, and somehow remains civilised enough for the school run. It's utterly, gloriously captivating.

“We were born from racing,” declared Klaus Busse, Maserati’s design director, an evocative statement that stirs something primal. Observing the GT2 Stradale, one is inclined to believe him.

Yet we must remember that Maserati’s soul has always been complex. While born on the grid, its heart has beaten for the Grand Tour since the 1950s. This is a lineage of velvet hammers: fast, certainly, but profoundly comfortable.

Perhaps this duality explains why the GT2 Stradale doesn't arrive with the violence one might expect. It won’t assault your internal organs like a Porsche 911 GT2 RS. It isn't a razor held against your throat at ten-tenths. But to dismiss it as soft is to fundamentally misunderstand its purpose. This mid-engined sculpture represents a more confident, controlled evolution of the MCPura – sharpened for circuit work yet unwilling to surrender its civility on public roads.

THE GENTLEMAN’S WEAPON

The Maserati’s greatest challenge is one of nomenclature; its name evokes Italian luxury, yet confusion persists among enthusiasts about its various models. The ‘GT2’ designation – thanks to Porsche – creates expectations of terror and raw brutality. The Maserati doesn't deliver terror. It doesn't sound apocalyptic. It is fast yet refined.

There’s an intriguing irony at play. In contemporary motorsport, the GT2 class is designed for “gentleman drivers”, an accessible category, whereas GT3 caters to professionals demanding razor-sharp reflexes and aerodynamic dependency. By being approachable and confidence-inspiring, the Maserati GT2 Stradale remains remarkably faithful to the racing car that inspired it. It’s a nuance that may elude the specification-obsessed corners of the internet, but it's entirely valid.

Threading through mountain switchbacks, the GT2 Stradale feels composed. Deliberate. It won’t snap sideways and induce involuntary bodily functions like certain rivals. Its transient responses are measured, which paradoxically makes it feel slower than the numbers suggest. Yet that exquisite mid-engine balance lets you feel the chassis come alive on throttle lift-off, positioning the car perfectly for corner entry. And the grip under acceleration? Phenomenal. Apply full throttle and it simply deploys all 640 horses with such conviction that you’ll actually push the front wide, even in fast, fourth-gear sweepers. That’s serious traction.

The steering deserves particular praise. While enthusiasts often cite Lotus as the industry benchmark, the Maserati’s electrically assisted setup ranks among the finest I’ve experienced. It isn’t hyperactive or artificially weighted. The ratio feels perfectly judged, remaining connected around centre while gaining resistance naturally as you add lock.

This communication intensifies through the more aggressive modes: the gearbox shifts with greater urgency, delivering satisfying jolts that punctuate the engine’s relentless acceleration. Despite its authentic racing character, it feels supportive and manageable; rear-end slides are easily caught. Most importantly, it’s genuinely entertaining.

The Maserati is the thinking person’s track weapon. It remains surprisingly fluent on public roads, particularly in GT mode. It’s noticeably more planted than the standard MCPura, thanks to the rear wing generating downforce as velocity builds. And it’s more comfortable on the motorway than you’d anticipate, carbon-fibre bucket seats notwithstanding. Just make sure they are well padded.

MAXIMUM COMMITMENT

If you’re serious – as you undoubtedly are – the optional Performance Package is essential. Consider it money exceptionally well spent. The standard tyres are immediately replaced with semi-slick Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tyres. These extraordinary compounds increase lateral grip by a full 10 per cent. You also get larger brakes and, crucially, the standard mechanical differential is replaced by an electronic system of considerable sophistication.

The GT2 Stradale proves remarkably user-friendly, delivering extraordinary performance without demanding extensive track experience. While its price represents a significant premium over the standard MCPura, production is limited to just 914 units, each bearing a plaque inscribed ‘1 of 914’ – a number referencing Maserati’s founding year of 1914, imbuing this latest creation with the marque’s rich heritage.

The GT2 Stradale represents Maserati’s emphatic reaffirmation of its ability to produce audacious, stylish, and impeccably crafted supercars. This machine embodies Italian automotive artistry, and it’s impossible not to fall for its considerable charms.

Simply put: I want one. Indeed, I’m utterly smitten.