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

Valentino Rossi’s participation in the COTA WEC race was thwarted by a mechanical failure late in the event. The #46 WRT BMW 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, had to withdraw from the Austin World Endurance Championship race just 15 minutes before the finish.

During the opening segment of last Sunday's Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas, the car sporting MotoGP icon Rossi's renowned #46 surged from 15th place in its class to fifth.

During that stint, Al Harty secured a solid position for the car, and teammates Rossi and Martin kept up the impressive speed.

As the race was drawing to a close, the car was performing within the top five but had to withdraw with just 15 minutes remaining due to a hydraulics problem.

"The weekend experienced a mix of positive and negative moments," stated Vincent Vosse, the head of the WRT team.

“While the final outcome is disappointing, there are several positive aspects we can appreciate.”

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

"At this point, we need to master the process and execute it flawlessly until the race concludes."

"However, let's remain optimistic and look ahead to the upcoming race in Fuji, which is scheduled to take place in two weeks. The outcome in the LMGT3 category has been less than satisfactory."

“We maximized our efforts with car #31. Car #46 experienced a technical malfunction, specifically a power steering problem. We will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the root cause of this issue."

"Our rivals outperformed us, causing us to fall further behind the two leading teams. We need to figure out how to enhance our performance at Fuji."

The Heart of Racing Aston Martin, car number 27, secured victory in the LMGT3 category at COTA, with the other WRT vehicle, number 31, finishing in fifth place.

The #83 AF Corse Ferrari, driven by former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, along with Robert Shwartzman and Yifei Ye, clinched both the overall victory and the top spot in the Hypercar class.

Rossi’s debut season in the World Endurance Championship has had its ups and downs. While the #46 car managed to secure a podium finish at Imola, it has not been able to achieve similar results in subsequent races.

Before the weekend began, Rossi believed that his previous experience racing at COTA during his MotoGP career from 2013 to 2021 would be advantageous for him.

Rossi stated to Sportscar365 that he consistently performs quicker and more efficiently on familiar tracks with his motorcycle.

"You can transfer a lot of knowledge. You're familiar with the track, the racing lines, and the locations of bumps and grip areas."

"Certainly, the GT is quite distinct in certain aspects. You have the ability to cut corners significantly and take various racing lines."

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

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