Moto GP
Valentino Rossi’s COTA WEC Hopes Dashed by Late Mechanical Failure: #46 WRT BMW Forced to Retire
Valentino Rossi's participation in the COTA WEC race was thwarted by a late mechanical failure. The #46 BMW, operated by WRT, 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 featuring MotoGP icon Rossi's renowned #46 surged from 15th place to fifth during the initial segment of last Sunday's Lone Star Le Mans held at the Circuit of the Americas.
During his stint, Al Harty positioned the car favorably, and his teammates Rossi and Martin continued to uphold that impressive speed.
As the race drew to a close and the car was positioned within the top five, a hydraulic problem emerged with just 15 minutes remaining, leading to its withdrawal from the competition.
"The weekend had its share of highs and lows," stated Vincent Vosse, the head of the WRT team.
“While we are disappointed with the outcome, there are several positive aspects to acknowledge."
"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 aspect."
"From now on, we need to master performing it flawlessly until the race concludes."
"However, we should remain optimistic and look ahead to the upcoming race at Fuji, scheduled in two weeks. The outcome in the LMGT3 category has been less than satisfactory."
"We managed to do our best with car #31. As for car #46, it experienced a technical problem related to the power steering. We will continue to investigate to determine the exact cause of the issue."
"Our rivals outperformed us, causing us to lose more points to the top two teams. We need to figure out how to better our performance at Fuji."
The Heart of Racing team's Aston Martin, car number 27, secured a victory in the LMGT3 category at COTA. Meanwhile, 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, claimed an outright win and secured the highest accolades in the Hypercar category.
Rossi's debut season in the World Endurance Championship has had its ups and downs. The #46 car managed to secure a podium finish at Imola, but has not been able to achieve similar success in other races since then.
As the weekend approached, Rossi believed that his previous experience racing at COTA during his MotoGP career from 2013 to 2021 would be advantageous for him.
Rossi mentioned to Sportscar365 that he is consistently quicker and performs better on familiar tracks with his motorcycle.
"You can transfer a lot of knowledge. You are familiar with the track, the racing lines, and you are aware of where the bumps and areas with good grip are."
"Undoubtedly, the GT stands out in certain aspects. It allows for significant cutting and offers the flexibility to create various trajectories."
"Ultimately, the course remains unchanged. Therefore, being familiar with the track while riding the bike is a significant benefit."
Explore Further
Recent Updates
Recent Updates
Site Navigation
Crash.Net
©1999-2024 Crash Media Group
It is prohibited to reproduce any part or the entirety of the text, images, or illustrations in any manner.
Discover more from Automobilnews News - The first AI News Portal world wide
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.