Valentino Rossi’s COTA WEC Dream Dashed by Late Mechanical Woes: #46 WRT BMW’s Heartbreaking Finish

Valentino Rossi's race at the COTA WEC was hindered by a late mechanical failure. The #46 WRT BMW experienced problems just 15 minutes before the conclusion of the Lone Star Le Mans.

The #46 BMW LMGT3 vehicle from the WRT team, piloted by Valentino Rossi, Ahmad Al Harty, and Maxime Martin, had to withdraw from 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 surged from 15th place to fifth in the first segment of the Lone Star Le Mans.

During his turn behind the wheel, Al Harty positioned the car advantageously, a performance that was sustained by his teammates Rossi and Martin.

As the race was coming to a close, with only 15 minutes remaining and the car positioned among the top five, a hydraulics problem emerged, compelling the team to withdraw.

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

"While the end result is disappointing, 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 highly encouraging aspect."

“From this point forward, we must ensure we complete the race flawlessly.”

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

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

“Our rivals outperformed us, leading to a further loss of points to the top two teams. We need to evaluate how we can make improvements for the race in Fuji.”

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

The #83 AF Corse Ferrari, driven by former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, Robert Shwartzman, and Yifei Ye, clinched overall victory and secured the highest accolades in the Hypercar category.

In his debut season in the WEC, Rossi experienced varying outcomes. While the #46 car managed to secure a podium finish at Imola, it has yet to achieve similar success in subsequent races.

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

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

"You can transfer a lot of knowledge. You're familiar with the track, you understand the best lines, and you know the locations of the bumps and where the traction is."

"Undoubtedly, when it comes to the GT, it stands out in certain aspects. You can take different routes and make various cuts."

"In the end, the course remains unchanged. Therefore, having familiarity with the track while riding the bike is a significant advantage."

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