Heartbreak at COTA: Valentino Rossi’s #46 WRT BMW Succumbs to Late Mechanical Failure in Lone Star Le Mans

Valentino Rossi's race at the COTA WEC was derailed by a mechanical failure late in the event. The #46 WRT BMW encountered problems just 15 minutes before the conclusion of the Lone Star Le Mans.

The #46 WRT BMW LMGT3 car, piloted by Valentino Rossi, Ahmad Al Harty, and Maxime Martin, had to withdraw from the Austin World Endurance Championship race just 15 minutes before it concluded.

In the first segment of last Sunday's Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas, the vehicle emblazoned with MotoGP icon Rossi's renowned #46 surged from 15th place in its category to fifth.

During his turn behind the wheel, Al Harty secured a solid position for the car, a performance that was upheld by his teammates Rossi and Martin, who continued to drive at a strong pace.

As the race approached its conclusion, the car was performing within the top five. However, with only 15 minutes remaining, a hydraulics problem surfaced, leading to its withdrawal from the competition.

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

"While we are disappointed with the outcome, there are also several positive aspects we can acknowledge."

“Our team was the only one able to match the Ferrari's pace in the Hypercar category during the first half of the race, and that was a really encouraging aspect.”

“We need to master this without errors until the race concludes.”

"However, let’s maintain a positive outlook and direct our attention to the upcoming race in Fuji, scheduled for two weeks from now. The outcome in the LMGT3 category has been less than satisfactory."

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

"Our rivals ended up ahead of us, causing us to lose more points to the top two teams. We need to figure out how we can get better in Fuji."

The #27 Aston Martin from Heart of Racing secured victory in the LMGT3 category at COTA, and the other WRT vehicle, the #31, finished in fifth place.

The #83 AF Corse Ferrari, driven by former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, along with Robert Shwartzman and Yifei Ye, clinched an outright victory and secured the top position in the Hypercar class.

Rossi's debut season in the World Endurance Championship has had its ups and downs. The #46 car managed to secure a podium finish at Imola, but has not been able to achieve the same success in subsequent races.

Before the weekend began, Rossi believed that his previous experience racing on this track during his MotoGP career, spanning from 2013 to 2021, would be advantageous.

Rossi mentioned to Sportscar365 that he consistently performs quicker and more efficiently on familiar tracks with his motorcycle.

“You’re able to bring a lot of experience with you. You’re familiar with the track layout, the racing lines, and you know the locations of bumps and areas with good grip.”

“However, the GT stands out in certain aspects. It allows for significant cutting and the creation of various lines.

“But ultimately, the course remains unchanged. Therefore, being familiar with the course while riding the bike is a significant benefit.”

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