Valentino Rossi’s COTA WEC Hopes Dashed by Late Mechanical Failure: #46 WRT BMW Forced to Retire 15 Minutes from Finish

Valentino Rossi's COTA WEC race thwarted by late mechanical failure

The #46 BMW from WRT encountered technical problems just 15 minutes before the end of the Lone Star Le Mans

The #46 WRT BMW LMGT3 vehicle, 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.

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

Al Harty set the car up well during his turn, and teammates Rossi and Martin kept up the fast pace.

As the race approached its final moments, the car, which was in the top five, encountered a hydraulics problem with just 15 minutes remaining and had to withdraw.

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

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

"We were the sole competitors capable of matching the Ferrari's pace in the Hypercar category during the first half of the race, which was a significant achievement."

"At this point, we need to master completing the race flawlessly."

"However, let's stay optimistic and look ahead to the upcoming race in Fuji, which is happening in two weeks. Unfortunately, the outcome in the LMGT3 category has been underwhelming."

"We did our best with car #31. Car #46 experienced a technical malfunction, specifically with the power steering, but we plan to investigate more to determine the exact cause."

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

The #27 Aston Martin from Heart of Racing secured victory in the LMGT3 category at Circuit of the Americas, while the only other WRT vehicle, #31, finished in fifth place.

Complete triumph and the highest accolades in the Hypercar category were claimed by the #83 AF Corse Ferrari driven by former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, along with Robert Shwartzman and Yifie Ye.

Rossi’s debut season in the World Endurance Championship has had its ups and downs, with the #46 car achieving a podium finish at Imola but not managing to do so again thus far.

As the weekend approached, Rossi believed that his previous experience on the track, gained from racing at COTA in MotoGP from 2013 to 2021, would be beneficial for him.

Rossi mentioned to Sportscar365 that he consistently performs faster and better on tracks he is familiar with while riding his motorcycle.

"Since you can remember and apply numerous details. You are familiar with the track layout, the racing lines, the locations of bumps, the grip levels, and every other aspect."

"Absolutely, the GT is quite distinct in certain aspects. You can take significant shortcuts and create various racing lines."

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

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