**Heartbreak for Rossi: Mechanical Failure Halts #46 BMW’s Charge at Lone Star Le Mans**

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

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.

During the initial phase 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 secure fifth place.

During his stint, Al Harty positioned the car favorably, and teammates Rossi and Martin continued to uphold that competitive speed.

With just 15 minutes remaining in the race and positioned within the top five, the vehicle encountered a hydraulics problem and had to withdraw.

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

“Clearly, we are disappointed with the outcome, yet there are several positive aspects to consider.

"In the first half of the race, we were the sole competitors able to match the Ferrari in the Hypercar category, which was a highly encouraging aspect."

"We must now master completing it flawlessly until the race is over."

"However, let's stay optimistic and look ahead to the upcoming race at Fuji in two weeks. The outcome in LMGT3 has been disheartening."

“We did our best with car #31. Car #46 experienced a technical problem related to the power steering system, and we will conduct a thorough investigation to identify the root cause.”

"Our rivals ended up ahead of us, resulting in us losing more points to the top two competitors. We need to figure out how to enhance our performance in Fuji."

The LMGT3 class race at COTA saw the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin take the victory, whereas 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, secured an overall win and first place in the Hypercar category.

Rossi's debut season in the WEC has had its ups and downs. While the #46 car managed to secure a podium finish at Imola, it has not been able to achieve similar results in subsequent races.

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

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

"You can bring a lot of items with you. You're familiar with the track, understand the routes, and know where the bumps and areas with good grip are located."

"Certainly, when it comes to the GT, it's distinct in many ways. You have the freedom to take various shortcuts and choose different racing lines."

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

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