Heartbreak at COTA: Valentino Rossi’s #46 WRT BMW Retires with 15 Minutes to Go in Lone Star Le Mans

Valentino Rossi's participation in the COTA WEC race was thwarted by a late mechanical failure. The #46 WRT BMW 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, had to withdraw just 15 minutes before the conclusion of the Austin World Endurance Championship race.

During the initial phase of last Sunday's Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas, the car sporting MotoGP icon Rossi’s renowned #46 surged from 15th position in its category to fifth.

During his stint, Al Harty positioned the car favorably, and his teammates Rossi and Martin continued to uphold that impressive pace.

With just 15 minutes remaining and the car positioned within the top five, a hydraulics problem emerged, leading to its retirement from the race.

"The weekend experienced both positive and negative moments," 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 only team able to match the pace of the Ferrari in the Hypercar category during the first half of the race, which was a significant achievement for us.”

"We need to master this process and execute it flawlessly until the race concludes."

"However, let's stay optimistic and turn our attention to the upcoming race in Fuji, which is happening in two weeks. The outcome in the LMGT3 category has been disheartening."

“We made every effort 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.”

"Our rivals outperformed us, causing us to lose more points to the top two teams. We need to figure out how to address this at Fuji."

The Heart of Racing team's Aston Martin, car number 27, secured first place in the LMGT3 category at COTA, whereas the other WRT vehicle, car number 31, finished in fifth position.

The #83 AF Corse Ferrari, driven by former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, along with Robert Shwartzman and Yifei Ye, clinched a decisive win and secured the highest accolades in the Hypercar category.

Rossi's debut season in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) has seen varied results. The #46 car managed to secure a podium finish at Imola but has not been able to achieve a similar performance in subsequent races.

As the weekend approached, Rossi believed that his previous experience at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) from his MotoGP career, spanning from 2013 to 2021, would be advantageous.

Rossi mentioned to Sportscar365 that he consistently performs quicker and more efficiently on a motorcycle when he is familiar with the track.

"You can transfer a lot of knowledge. You’re familiar with the track, the racing lines, the locations of bumps, the grip levels, and all the details."

"However, when it comes to the GT, it's definitely distinct in certain aspects. You can take more shortcuts and create alternative racing lines."

“In the end, the course remains unchanged, so being familiar with it on a bike is definitely beneficial.”

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