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

Valentino Rossi's COTA WEC race thwarted by late malfunction

The #46 WRT BMW encountered mechanical problems just 15 minutes before the conclusion of the Lone Star Le Mans

The BMW LMGT3 car number 46 from the WRT team, piloted by Valentino Rossi, Ahmad Al Harty, and Maxime Martin, had to withdraw just 15 minutes before the conclusion of the Austin World Endurance Championship race.

During the initial segment of last Sunday's Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas, the car marked with MotoGP icon Rossi's renowned #46 impressively advanced from 15th position in its class to fifth.

During that segment, Al Harty secured a solid position for the car, and his teammates Rossi and Martin continued to uphold the fast pace.

Competing among the top five as the race approached its end, the car encountered a hydraulics problem with only 15 minutes remaining and had to withdraw.

"The weekend was a mix of positive and negative moments," commented 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 only team able to match the Ferrari's pace in the Hypercar category during the first half of the race, which was a very encouraging sign.

"From now until the race concludes, we must master the process without errors."

"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 less than satisfactory."

"We did everything possible with vehicle #31. Vehicle #46 experienced a technical malfunction related to the power steering. We plan to investigate further to determine the root cause of the issue."

"Our rivals ended up ahead of us, which means we fell behind the top two teams in terms of points once more. We need to figure out how to make improvements for the race in Fuji."

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

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

Rossi's debut season in the WEC has had its ups and downs; the #46 vehicle managed to secure a podium finish at Imola, but has not been able to achieve the same success again yet.

Before the weekend, Rossi believed that his previous experience on the track during his MotoGP career, where he competed at COTA from 2013 to 2021, would be advantageous for him.

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

"Since you have the ability to transfer a lot of knowledge. You're familiar with the track, understand the racing lines, and are aware of where the bumps and areas with good grip are located."

"However, when it comes to the GT, it's definitely distinct in certain aspects. You have the ability to cut corners significantly and take alternative racing lines."

Ultimately, the course remains unchanged. Therefore, being familiar with the track while riding the bike is beneficial.

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