Moto GP
Heartbreak at COTA: Valentino Rossi’s #46 BMW Forced to Retire 15 Minutes from Finish Due to Hydraulics Issue
Valentino Rossi's participation in the COTA WEC race was thwarted by a late mechanical failure. The #46 BMW from WRT encountered problems just 15 minutes before the conclusion of the Lone Star Le Mans.
The #46 WRT BMW LMGT3 vehicle, piloted by Valentino Rossi, Ahmad Al Harty, and Maxime Martin, was forced to withdraw from the Austin World Endurance Championship race just 15 minutes before it concluded.
In the initial segment of last Sunday's Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas, the car carrying MotoGP icon Rossi’s renowned #46 made an impressive climb from 15th place in its category to fifth place.
During his turn behind the wheel, Al Harty positioned the car advantageously, a momentum that was kept up by his teammates Rossi and Martin.
With just 15 minutes remaining and running within the top five, the car encountered a hydraulics problem and had to withdraw from the race.
"The weekend experienced a mix of positives and negatives," stated Vincent Vosse, the head of the WRT team.
"While we are disappointed with the outcome, there are several positive aspects to consider."
"We were the sole competitors able to match the Ferrari's pace in the Hypercar category during the first half of the race, and that was extremely encouraging."
"We need to master executing this flawlessly until the race concludes."
"However, let's stay optimistic and look ahead to the upcoming race in two weeks at Fuji. The outcome in the LMGT3 category has been less than satisfactory."
"We did our best with car #31. Car #46 experienced a technical malfunction, specifically a power steering problem. We will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the root cause of the issue."
"The teams we were competing against outperformed us, resulting in a loss of points to the top two contenders. We need to evaluate our performance and find ways to improve at Fuji."
The #27 Aston Martin from Heart of Racing clinched the victory in the LMGT3 category at COTA, whereas the other WRT car, numbered #31, finished in fifth place.
The #83 AF Corse Ferrari, driven by former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, along with Robert Shwartzman and Yifie Ye, achieved overall victory and the highest accolades in the Hypercar category.
Rossi's debut season in the World Endurance Championship has seen varied results. The #46 car managed to secure a podium finish at Imola, but has not been able to achieve a similar success since then.
As the weekend approached, Rossi believed that his previous experience on the track from his MotoGP career, where he raced at COTA from 2013 to 2021, would be beneficial.
Rossi explained to Sportscar365 that he consistently performs quicker and more proficiently on familiar tracks with his motorcycle.
“You’re able to bring over a lot of things. You’re familiar with the track, understand the racing lines, and know where the bumps and grip points are located.”
"Certainly, when considering the GT, it's quite distinct in certain aspects. You have the ability to cut corners significantly and create alternative racing lines."
"Ultimately, the course remains unchanged. Therefore, being familiar with the course while riding the bike is a significant benefit."
Explore Further
Recent Updates
Recent Updates
Site Navigation
Crash.Net
©1999-2024 Crash Media Group
It is prohibited to reproduce any part of this text, including photos or illustrations, in any manner.
Discover more from Automobilnews News - The first AI News Portal world wide
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.