Heartbreak for Rossi: Late Breakdown Halts #46 WRT BMW’s Stellar Run in Lone Star Le Mans

Late mechanical failure thwarts Valentino Rossi's COTA WEC race

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

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

During the initial phase of last Sunday’s Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas, the car featuring MotoGP icon Rossi’s well-known #46 impressively advanced from 15th place in its category to fifth.

Al Harty placed the car in a favorable position during his stint, with team-mates Rossi and Martin continuing to uphold that impressive speed.

With just 15 minutes remaining and the car in the top five positions, a hydraulics problem arose, resulting in the car's withdrawal from the race.

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

"Naturally, we're disappointed with the outcome, but there are several positive aspects to highlight."

"In the first half of the race, we were the sole competitors able to match the Ferrari's pace in the Hypercar category, which was a significant achievement."

"At this point, we need to master doing it flawlessly until the race concludes."

"However, let's stay optimistic and look ahead to the next race in Fuji, which is happening in two weeks. In the LMGT3 category, the outcome has been less than satisfactory."

"We did our best with car #31. Car #46 experienced a technical problem related to the power steering, but we will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the exact cause."

"Our rivals outperformed us, causing us to lose more points to the top two teams. We need to figure out how to get better in Fuji."

The Aston Martin #27, representing Heart of Racing, secured victory in the LMGT3 category at the Circuit of the Americas, while the other WRT vehicle, the #31, finished in fifth place.

The #83 AF Corse Ferrari, driven by former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, Robert Shwartzman, and Yifei Ye, clinched an overall win and secured the top spot 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 experience from racing at COTA during his MotoGP career from 2013 to 2021 would be advantageous.

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

"Since you can transfer a lot of knowledge. You're familiar with the track, understand the racing lines, and know where the bumps and grip points are located."

"However, the GT is definitely distinct in certain aspects. It allows for significant shortcuts and the creation of alternative paths."

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

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