First, let’s recap. The Maserati MC20 marked the brand’s return to mid-engined supercars after two decades, and it made a strong impression. But Maserati wasn’t content with just that. They wanted to see how their new toy would fare in the heat of competition. Enter the Maserati GT2, a race car with a monstrous swan-neck rear wing and a bonnet that could shred cheese with a glance.

Now, Maserati has taken that racing spirit and distilled it into the GT2 Stradale, a road-legal but seriously track-focused version of the MC20. It’s so focused, in fact, that Maserati has dropped the ‘MC20’ moniker altogether, christening this beast simply the GT2 Stradale.

Underneath, it’s still the MC20 at heart: same carbon fibre tub, same dramatic butterfly doors, and the same 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6. But this isn’t just a rehash—Maserati has squeezed an extra 7.5 kW (10 hp) out of the engine, bringing it up to a robust 471 kW (631 hp). That’s more grunt than the legendary MC12 supercar with its Ferrari Enzo-derived V12. To handle all that extra power, the GT2 Stradale’s cooling system has been beefed up, gulping in 16% more air.

What does that mean on the road? Try a 0-100 km/h sprint in just 2.8 seconds, with a top speed of 323 km/h. But this car isn’t about straight-line heroics—it’s built for corners. The GT2 Stradale features a new splitter, rear wing, and diffuser that combine to generate a whopping 500 kg of downforce at 280 km/h. To put that in perspective, a standard MC20 only manages 145 kg at the same speed.

Interestingly, the rear wing comes in a ‘neutral’ setting straight from the factory, so if you want to exploit that sweet, downforce-rich aero, you’ll need to get your hands dirty with a spanner.

Maserati has also trimmed 60 kg from the MC20’s weight, with a third of that saving coming from the new forged wheels with centerlock lugnuts. There’s more carbon fibre in this car than in Adrian Newey’s entire workshop, and even the central tunnel inside has been slimmed down to shave off those precious grams.

Take a look at the steering wheel, and you’ll notice something a bit different. It’s ‘triangular,’ with the upper section angled and featuring nine LED shift lights in white, blue, and red. It’s like a festive light show every time you change gear. And yes, there are modes—because what supercar in 2024 doesn’t have modes? The GT2 Stradale offers Wet (for the inevitable British rain), GT (your go-to comfort mode), Sport (because of course), and Corsa, which is Italian for ‘race’ and not, as you might think, a small Vauxhall.

In Corsa mode, stability and traction controls are dialed back, and the electronic limited-slip diff is set to a mid-way position for balanced, on-the-limit handling. Maserati does warn, though, that in the racier modes “the suspension is extremely stiff.” Luckily, there’s a button to soften things up if your backside starts to feel like it’s been through a washing machine.

Still not hardcore enough for you? Maserati’s got you covered with the ‘Performance Pack,’ which includes stickier tyres and unlocks ‘Corsa Evo’ mode. This allows you to dial down the electronic safety nets even further and fine-tune the ABS for extra-late braking.

And if you’re all about that track life, the Performance Pack Plus is available, adding four-point harnesses, a fire extinguisher, and enough smugness to last a lifetime.

As for the price, Maserati hasn’t revealed how much more than the standard £222,000 MC20 you’ll need to shell out. Maybe they’re waiting to see what the competition, like Porsche with its facelifted GT3 RS or Ferrari with a ‘Speciale’ version of the 296 GTB, will bring to the table. But one thing’s for sure—the GT2 Stradale is a serious contender in the high-stakes game of supercar supremacy.