Valentino Rossi’s COTA WEC Hopes Dashed by Late Mechanical Failure: Heartbreak 15 Minutes from Lone Star Le Mans Finish

Valentino Rossi's race at the COTA WEC was thwarted by a late mechanical failure

Just 15 minutes before the end of the Lone Star Le Mans, the #46 WRT BMW encountered mechanical problems

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.

During last Sunday's Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas, a car sporting the iconic #46 associated with MotoGP star Rossi made an impressive leap from 15th to 5th place in its class during the opening segment of the race.

Al Harty placed the car in a favorable position during his stint, and his teammates Rossi and Martin kept up the impressive speed.

As the race was nearing its end and the car was positioned within the top five, a hydraulic problem emerged with only 15 minutes remaining, forcing the vehicle to withdraw.

"The weekend was 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 positive aspects to acknowledge."

"We were the sole competitors able to match the Ferrari's pace in the Hypercar category during the first half of the race, which was a significant highlight for us."

“We must now master the process and avoid errors until the race finishes.”

"However, we should remain optimistic and look ahead to the upcoming race at Fuji, which is scheduled in two weeks. The outcome in the LMGT3 category has not met expectations."

"We managed to do our best with car #31. Unfortunately, car #46 experienced a technical problem related to the power steering. We plan to conduct a more thorough investigation to determine the exact cause of the issue."

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

The Heart of Racing team's Aston Martin, car number 27, clinched victory in the LMGT3 class at Circuit of the Americas, while the sole remaining WRT car, number 31, finished in fifth place.

The #83 AF Corse Ferrari, driven by former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, along with Robert Shwartzman and Yifei Ye, secured an overall win and first place in the Hypercar category.

Rossi's debut season in the World Endurance Championship 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 in subsequent races.

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

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

"You can transfer a lot of knowledge. You're familiar with the track, understand the optimal paths, and are aware of the bumps and grip conditions."

"Certainly, the GT stands out in some respects. You can take more shortcuts and alter your racing lines significantly."

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

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