Heartbreak for Valentino Rossi as Late Breakdown Halts #46 WRT BMW in COTA WEC Race

Valentino Rossi's participation in the COTA WEC race was thwarted by a last-minute mechanical failure. The #46 WRT BMW 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, had to pull out of the Austin World Endurance Championship race just 15 minutes before it concluded.

Last Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas, a car featuring MotoGP icon Rossi’s well-known #46 advanced from 15th to fifth place during the initial phase of the Lone Star Le Mans.

During his time behind the wheel, Al Harty positioned the car favorably, a performance that was consistently upheld by his teammates Rossi and Martin.

With just 15 minutes remaining and positioned among the top five, the car encountered a hydraulics problem and had to withdraw from the race.

"The weekend experienced a mix of highs and lows," stated Vincent Vosse, the head of the WRT team.

"While we're not satisfied with the outcome, there are certainly some positive aspects to consider."

“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 achievement.”

"We must figure out how to complete the race flawlessly."

"However, we should stay optimistic and look ahead to the upcoming race in Fuji, which is happening in two weeks. The outcome in the LMGT3 category has been less than satisfactory."

"We did our best with car #31. Car #46 experienced a technical problem, specifically a power steering failure. We will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the root cause of this issue."

"The teams we're competing against ended up ahead of us, causing us to lose more points to the top two leaders. We need to figure out how we can make improvements for the race in Fuji."

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

The #83 AF Corse Ferrari, driven by former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, along with Robert Shwartzman and Yifie Ye, achieved a clear win and secured the highest accolades 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 hasn't been able to achieve similar success since then.

As the weekend approached, Rossi believed that his previous experience on the track from his MotoGP career, where he raced at COTA from 2013 to 2021, would be advantageous for him.

Rossi mentioned to Sportscar365 that he always performs quicker and with more skill on a motorcycle when he's familiar with the track.

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

“Certainly, the GT is quite distinct in some aspects. You have the ability to cut corners significantly and create various racing lines.

"Ultimately, the course remains unchanged, so having familiarity with it while riding is definitely beneficial."

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