Valentino Rossi’s COTA WEC Hopes Dashed by Late Breakdown in Lone Star Le Mans

Valentino Rossi's race at COTA in the World Endurance Championship was thwarted by a late mechanical failure. The #46 BMW from WRT experienced 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 just 15 minutes before it concluded.

The vehicle featuring MotoGP icon Rossi's well-known #46 surged from 15th place to fifth during the initial phase of last Sunday's Lone Star Le Mans held at the Circuit of the Americas.

Al Harty secured a competitive position with the car during his stint, and this strong performance was upheld by his teammates Rossi and Martin.

As the race was coming to an end and the car was holding a position within the top five, a problem with the hydraulics emerged with just 15 minutes left, causing the car to withdraw from the competition.

"The weekend was a mix of highs and lows," commented Vincent Vosse, the head of the WRT team.

“While we are disappointed with the outcome, there are still several positive aspects to consider.”

"Our team was the only one able to match the Ferrari's pace in the Hypercar category during the first half of the race, which was a significant achievement."

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

"However, let's stay optimistic and look ahead to the upcoming race at Fuji, which is happening in two weeks. 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. We will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the root cause of this issue.”

"Our rivals outperformed us, resulting in us losing more points to the top two teams. We need to figure out how to do better in Fuji."

The Aston Martin from Heart of Racing, car number 27, secured victory in the LMGT3 category at COTA, whereas the WRT team's other entry, 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, secured an outright victory and claimed the top spot in the Hypercar class.

Rossi's debut season in the WEC has had its ups and downs. The #46 car managed to secure a podium finish at Imola, but hasn't been able to achieve similar results since then.

Before the weekend began, Rossi believed that his previous experience racing on the COTA track during his MotoGP career from 2013 to 2021 would be advantageous.

Rossi mentioned to Sportscar365 that he consistently performs quicker and more effectively on a familiar track with his motorcycle.

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

"However, when it comes to the GT, it's definitely distinct in some aspects. You have the ability to take different routes and make a lot of cuts."

"Ultimately, the circuit remains unchanged. Thus, being familiar with it while riding the bike is beneficial."

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