Heartbreak at COTA: Valentino Rossi’s WRT BMW Falls Short in Final Minutes of Lone Star Le Mans

Valentino Rossi's COTA WEC race thwarted by late mechanical failure

The #46 WRT BMW encountered mechanical problems just 15 minutes before the conclusion of the Lone Star Le Mans

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

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

During his stint, Al Harty positioned the car favorably, and this impressive speed was upheld by his teammates Rossi and Martin.

Among the leading five competitors as the race drew to a close, the vehicle encountered a hydraulics problem with only 15 minutes remaining and had to withdraw from the race.

"The weekend had its highs and lows," commented Vincent Vosse, the head of the WRT team.

"Naturally, we're disappointed with the outcome, but there are also several encouraging aspects to consider."

"We were the sole competitors able to match the Ferrari [in Hypercar] during the initial half of the race, which was a significant advantage."

"We need to figure out how to perform flawlessly until the race is over."

"Let's stay optimistic and look ahead to the next race, which will take place in two weeks at Fuji. The outcome in the LMGT3 category has been disheartening."

"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 problem."

“Our rivals outperformed us, causing us to lose more points to the top two teams. We need to figure out how to make improvements for the Fuji race.”

The Aston Martin, bearing the #27 from Heart of Racing, secured victory in the LMGT3 category at COTA, whereas the other WRT vehicle placed fifth with the #31.

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

In his debut season in the WEC, Rossi experienced varied results. The #46 car managed to secure a podium finish at Imola, but has not been able to achieve similar success in subsequent races.

As the weekend approached, Rossi believed that his previous experience riding at COTA during his MotoGP career from 2013 to 2021 would be beneficial.

Rossi mentioned to Sportscar365 that he consistently performs quicker and more effectively on familiar tracks when riding his motorcycle.

"You can bring a lot of experience with you. You're familiar with the track, the racing lines, the locations of the bumps, and where the grip is."

"Certainly, the GT is quite distinct in several aspects. You have the ability to take various shortcuts and create alternative routes."

"Ultimately, the course remains unchanged, so being familiar with it while riding the bike is beneficial."

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