Valentino Rossi’s #46 WRT BMW Falls Short at COTA: Late Breakdown Ends Promising WEC Run

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

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 held at the Circuit of the Americas, the car with MotoGP icon Rossi's renowned #46 impressively advanced from 15th place to 5th in its class.

During his stint, Al Harty positioned the car favorably, and his teammates Rossi and Martin kept up the impressive speed.

As the race was drawing to a close, the car was positioned within the top five. However, with just 15 minutes remaining, it encountered a hydraulics problem and had to drop out.

WRT's team principal Vincent Vosse commented that the weekend had its share of highs and lows.

“While the outcome is not what we hoped for, there are still several positive aspects we can appreciate."

"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 significant positive aspect."

"We need to figure out how to perform flawlessly until the race concludes."

"However, we should remain optimistic and look ahead to the upcoming race at Fuji, which is scheduled for two weeks from now. The outcome in the LMGT3 category has not met our expectations."

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

"Our rivals outperformed us, resulting in us losing additional points to the top two competitors. We need to figure out how to enhance our performance in Fuji."

The Heart of Racing's Aston Martin car, number 27, clinched victory in the LMGT3 category at COTA, whereas the other WRT vehicle, car number 31, finished in fifth place.

The #83 AF Corse Ferrari, driven by former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, Robert Shwartzman, and Yifie Ye, clinched an overall win and secured the top spot 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 in subsequent races.

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

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

“You can transport many items. You’re familiar with the track, aware of the lines, and you know where the bumps and the grip are.”

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

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

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