Heartbreak for Rossi: Late Breakdown Halts Promising Run at COTA WEC

Valentino Rossi's participation in the COTA WEC race was thwarted by a late mechanical failure. The #46 BMW from WRT encountered technical 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, withdrew from the Austin World Endurance Championship race just 15 minutes before it concluded.

The vehicle marked with MotoGP star Rossi’s iconic #46 surged from 15th place in its category to fifth during the initial phase of last Sunday’s Lone Star Le Mans held at the Circuit of the Americas.

During that segment, Al Harty positioned the car advantageously, and teammates Rossi and Martin upheld the impressive speed.

With just 15 minutes remaining and positioned within the top five, the car experienced a hydraulics failure and had to withdraw from the race.

WRT team leader Vincent Vosse mentioned that the weekend experienced both positive and negative moments.

"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's pace in the Hypercar category for the initial half of the race, which was a highly encouraging aspect."

"At this point, we must master the process and execute it flawlessly until the race concludes."

"However, let's stay optimistic and look ahead to the upcoming race in Fuji, which will take place in two weeks. The outcome in LMGT3 has been less than satisfactory."

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

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

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

The #83 AF Corse Ferrari team, featuring former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica along with Robert Shwartzman and Yifei Ye, clinched an overall win and secured the top prize in the Hypercar category.

Rossi's debut season in the World Endurance Championship has seen varied results, with the #46 car achieving a podium finish at Imola but not managing to repeat this success subsequently.

As the weekend approached, Rossi believed that his previous experience on the COTA track from his MotoGP career, spanning 2013 to 2021, would be advantageous.

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

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

"However, the GT is definitely distinct in several ways. You have the ability to take various shortcuts and follow alternative paths."

"Ultimately, the track remains unchanged. Thus, familiarity with the track while on the bike is a significant benefit."

Explore Further

Breaking News

Breaking News

Website Directory

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

It is prohibited to reproduce any portion of the text, photographs, or illustrations in any manner.