Late Breakdown Dashes Valentino Rossi’s COTA WEC Hopes: #46 WRT BMW Retires Just 15 Minutes from Finish

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.

The #46 WRT BMW LMGT3, 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 carrying the iconic #46 of MotoGP star Rossi surged from 15th place to fifth during the initial phase of last Sunday's Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas.

Al Harty secured a competitive position during his turn behind the wheel, and this strong performance was carried on by his teammates Rossi and Martin.

Approaching the final moments of the race while positioned in the top five, the car encountered a hydraulics problem with just 15 minutes remaining and had to withdraw from the competition.

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

“Although we are disappointed with the outcome, there are still several 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 positive aspect."

"From now on, we need to master doing this flawlessly until the race concludes."

"However, let's stay optimistic and shift our attention to the upcoming race in Fuji, which will take place in two weeks. The outcome in the LMGT3 category has been underwhelming."

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

"Our rivals ended up ahead of us, causing us to lose more points to the top two leaders. We need to figure out how we can get better in Fuji."

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

A decisive win and the highest accolade in the Hypercar category were claimed by the #83 AF Corse Ferrari, driven by former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, along with Robert Shwartzman and Yifei Ye.

In Rossi's debut season in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), the #46 car managed to secure a podium finish at Imola, but has not achieved similar success in subsequent races.

Before the weekend, Rossi believed that his extensive experience 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 a track he is familiar with when riding his motorcycle.

"You're able to carry a lot of stuff. You already know the track layout, the best lines to take, where the bumps are, and where you'll find the most grip."

“However, the GT is certainly distinct in some respects. You have the ability to take shortcuts and create alternative paths.”

"However, ultimately, the track remains unchanged. Therefore, being familiar with the track while riding the bike is beneficial."

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