Valentino Rossi’s #46 WRT BMW Falls Short at COTA: Late Breakdown Ends Promising Run in Lone Star Le Mans

Valentino Rossi’s participation in the COTA WEC event was thwarted by a late 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 vehicle, with Valentino Rossi, Ahmad Al Harty, and Maxime Martin behind the wheel, had 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 vehicle with MotoGP legend Rossi’s iconic #46 surged from 15th place in its class to secure fifth position.

During his stint, Al Harty secured a solid position for the car, and teammates Rossi and Martin kept up the impressive speed.

As the race was approaching its end and the car was holding a position within the top five, a hydraulics problem emerged with only 15 minutes left, leading to its retirement.

WRT team principal Vincent Vosse commented that the weekend experienced both positive and negative moments.

"Naturally, we are disappointed with the outcome, but there are also several positive aspects to consider."

"We were the sole competitors able to match the Ferrari's pace in the Hypercar category during the race's first half, which was a highly encouraging aspect."

“We must now figure out how to execute this flawlessly until the race concludes.”

“However, let’s stay optimistic and look ahead to the upcoming race in Fuji, which is happening in two weeks. As for the LMGT3 category, the outcome has been less than satisfactory.”

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

"Our rivals outperformed us, resulting in a loss of points again to the top two teams. We need to figure out how to enhance our performance at Fuji."

The Heart of Racing team, driving the #27 Aston Martin, clinched victory in the LMGT3 category at COTA. Meanwhile, the #31 car from WRT finished in fifth place.

The #83 AF Corse Ferrari, driven by former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, along with Robert Shwartzman and Yifie Ye, claimed an outright win and secured the highest accolade in the Hypercar category.

Rossi's debut season in the World Endurance Championship has seen varied results. The #46 vehicle 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 previous experience at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) from his MotoGP career, spanning from 2013 to 2021, would be advantageous.

Rossi informed Sportscar365 that he consistently performs at a higher speed and with greater skill on a familiar track when riding his motorcycle.

"You can transfer a lot of knowledge. You are familiar with the track, the racing lines, the locations of the bumps, and the areas with good grip."

"However, when it comes to the GT, it's undoubtedly quite distinct in certain aspects. You have the ability to take various shortcuts and create alternative racing lines."

"Ultimately, the course remains unchanged. Therefore, being familiar with the track while on the bike is a significant benefit."

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