Heartbreak for Rossi as Late Breakdown Derails #46 WRT BMW’s Podium Hopes at COTA WEC

Valentino Rossi's hopes at the COTA WEC race were dashed 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, withdrew from the Austin World Endurance Championship race with just 15 minutes remaining.

The vehicle adorned with MotoGP icon Rossi's renowned number 46 surged from 15th place to 5th during the initial phase of last Sunday's Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of the Americas.

During his turn behind the wheel, Al Harty positioned the car favorably, and his teammates Rossi and Martin kept up the impressive speed.

As the race was nearing its end, the car, which had been maintaining a position within the top five, encountered a hydraulics problem with only 15 minutes remaining and had to withdraw from the competition.

WRT team principal Vincent Vosse described the weekend as having its high points and low points.

“While we are disappointed with the final outcome, there are still several positive aspects to appreciate.”

"We were the sole competitors able to match the Ferrari's pace in the Hypercar category during the first half of the race, which was a significant positive aspect."

"At this point, we need to master the process and ensure we don't make any errors until the race is over."

"However, we should stay optimistic and concentrate on the upcoming race at Fuji in two weeks. The outcome in LMGT3 has been underwhelming."

“We did our best with vehicle #31. Vehicle #46 experienced a technical problem, specifically with the power steering. We will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the root cause of this issue.”

"Our rivals outperformed us, which means we dropped more points to the top two teams. We need to figure out how to make improvements for the race in Fuji."

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

The #83 AF Corse Ferrari, driven by former Formula 1 star Robert Kubica, along with Robert Shwartzman and Yifie Ye, secured an outright victory and the highest accolade in the Hypercar category.

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 similar success in subsequent races.

As the weekend approached, Rossi believed that his previous experience racing at COTA in MotoGP from 2013 to 2021 would be advantageous for him.

Rossi told Sportscar365 that he always performs quicker and more efficiently on a track he is familiar with when riding his motorcycle.

"You can bring a lot of knowledge with you. You're familiar with the track, the lines, the bumps, the grip, and all the details."

"However, with the GT, it's definitely distinct in certain aspects. You have the ability to take more aggressive cuts and choose alternative racing lines."

"However, ultimately the course remains unchanged. Therefore, being familiar with the track while riding the bike is a significant benefit."

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