Valentino Rossi’s COTA WEC Dreams Dashed by Last-Minute Mechanical Failure

Valentino Rossi's participation in the COTA WEC race was hindered 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 vehicle, piloted by Valentino Rossi, Ahmad Al Harty, and Maxime Martin, withdrew from the Austin World Endurance Championship race with only 15 minutes remaining.

The vehicle carrying MotoGP icon Rossi's renowned #46 surged from 15th place to 5th during the initial phase of last Sunday's Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas.

During his stint, Al Harty secured a solid position for the car, a performance that was upheld by his teammates Rossi and Martin.

As the race was nearing its end, with only 15 minutes left, a hydraulics problem forced the car, which was in the top five, to withdraw.

"The weekend was a mix of positive and negative moments," stated Vincent Vosse, the head of the WRT team.

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

"We were the sole team capable of matching the Ferrari's pace in the Hypercar category during the first half of the race, which was a highly encouraging sign."

"At this point, we need to master doing it flawlessly all the way to the finish line."

"However, let's remain optimistic and concentrate on the upcoming race set to take place in two weeks at Fuji. The outcome in LMGT3 has been underwhelming."

“We did our best with car #31. Car #46 experienced a technical problem, specifically with the power steering, but we will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the exact reason for the malfunction.”

"Our rivals outperformed us, causing us to lose more points to the top two teams. We need to figure out how to get better in Fuji."

The Aston Martin with the #27 Heart of Racing team secured victory in the LMGT3 category at COTA, whereas the other WRT vehicle, marked as #31, finished in fifth place.

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

Rossi's debut season in the World Endurance Championship has had its ups and downs, with the #46 vehicle achieving a podium finish at Imola but not managing to secure another one since.

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

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

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

"Certainly, when it comes to the GT, it's quite distinct in several ways. You have the ability to take shortcuts and create alternative paths."

"Ultimately, the course remains unchanged. Therefore, being familiar with it while riding the bike provides a significant benefit."

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