Heartbreak at COTA: Valentino Rossi’s #46 BMW Forced to Retire 15 Minutes from Finish Line Due to Mechanical Failure

Valentino Rossi's race at the Circuit of the Americas in the World Endurance Championship was derailed by a late mechanical failure. The #46 BMW from the WRT team encountered technical problems just 15 minutes before the conclusion of the Lone Star Le Mans.

The WRT BMW LMGT3 car, numbered 46, and piloted by Valentino Rossi, Ahmad Al Harty, and Maxime Martin, had to retire just 15 minutes before the conclusion of the Austin World Endurance Championship race.

The vehicle marked with MotoGP icon Rossi's well-known #46 surged from 15th place in its category to fifth during the initial phase of last Sunday's Lone Star Le Mans held at the Circuit of the Americas.

Al Harty secured a competitive spot for the car during his stint, a performance that was consistently upheld by his teammates Rossi and Martin.

As the race approached its conclusion, with the car positioned within the top five, a hydraulics problem emerged with just 15 minutes remaining, necessitating its withdrawal.

"The weekend experienced a mix of positive and negative moments," stated Vincent Vosse, the head of the WRT team.

“While the end result isn't what we hoped for, there are still several positive aspects to consider."

"We were the sole competitors able to match the Ferrari [in Hypercar] during the first half of the race, which was a highly encouraging aspect."

"From now on, we must master it and complete the race flawlessly."

"However, we should remain optimistic and look ahead to the upcoming race at Fuji in two weeks. The outcome in the LMGT3 category has been underwhelming."

"We did our best with vehicle #31. Car #46 experienced a technical malfunction, specifically with the power steering. We will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the root cause of the issue."

"Our rivals ended up ahead of us, causing us to fall further behind the top two teams. We need to figure out how to perform better at Fuji."

The #27 Aston Martin from Heart of Racing clinched victory in the LMGT3 class at COTA, while the other WRT vehicle, numbered #31, secured fifth place.

The #83 AF Corse Ferrari, driven by former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, Robert Shwartzman, and Yifie Ye, clinched an overall win and secured the highest accolades in the Hypercar category.

Rossi's debut season in the WEC has had its ups and downs, with the #46 car achieving a podium finish at Imola but not managing to do so again since then.

As the weekend approached, Rossi believed that his previous experience on the track from his MotoGP years, during which he raced at COTA from 2013 to 2021, would be advantageous.

Rossi shared with Sportscar365 that he consistently performs quicker and more efficiently on tracks he is familiar with when riding his motorcycle.

"Since you can transfer a lot of knowledge. You are familiar with the track, you understand the racing lines, and you know the locations of the bumps and areas with good traction."

"However, without a doubt, the GT differs significantly in certain aspects. You have the ability to take various lines and make significant cuts."

"In the end, the course remains unchanged. Therefore, being familiar with it while riding the bike provides a significant benefit."

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