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

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

Valentino Rossi, Ahmad Al Harty, and Maxime Martin, driving the #46 WRT BMW LMGT3 car, had to withdraw from the Austin World Endurance Championship race with just 15 minutes remaining.

Last Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas, the car sporting MotoGP icon Rossi's renowned #46 surged from 15th place to 5th during the initial segment of the Lone Star Le Mans.

Al Harty secured a solid standing for the car during his stint, and teammates Rossi and Martin kept up the impressive speed.

As the race was approaching its conclusion, with just 15 minutes left, the car, which was in the top five, encountered a hydraulics problem and had to withdraw from the competition.

"The weekend experienced 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 positives to acknowledge."

"We were the sole team able to match the Ferrari's pace in the Hypercar category during the race's first half, and that was a significant advantage."

"From now on, we must master this skill and execute it flawlessly until the race concludes."

"However, let's stay optimistic and look forward to the next race happening in two weeks at Fuji. The outcome in the LMGT3 category has been disheartening."

"We managed to do everything possible with car #31. Car #46 experienced a technical problem, specifically with the power steering, but we will conduct a further investigation to determine the exact cause of the malfunction."

"Our rivals ended up ahead of us, causing us to lose more points to the top two contenders. We need to figure out how to improve our performance at Fuji."

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

The #83 AF Corse Ferrari team, consisting of 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 WEC has had its ups and downs. Although the #46 car managed to secure a podium finish at Imola, it has not been able to achieve the same success again.

As the weekend approached, Rossi believed that his previous experience riding at COTA during his MotoGP career from 2013 to 2021 would be advantageous.

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

"You can bring a lot of knowledge with you. You're familiar with the track, understand the optimal paths, and are aware of the bumps and where the grip is."

“Certainly, the GT is quite distinct in certain aspects. It allows for significant shortcuts and varied racing lines.”

"In the end, the course remains unchanged. Therefore, being familiar with the track while riding the bike is a significant benefit."

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