Valentino Rossi’s Late Breakdown Dashes Top-5 Finish at COTA WEC

Valentino Rossi's race at the COTA WEC was derailed by a late mechanical failure. The #46 WRT BMW experienced issues just 15 minutes before the conclusion of the Lone Star Le Mans.

The #46 WRT BMW LMGT3 vehicle, with drivers 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 phase of last Sunday's Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas, the car carrying MotoGP legend Rossi's iconic #46 surged from 15th place in its class to fifth.

During that segment, Al Harty placed the car in an advantageous spot, and this impressive speed was upheld by teammates Rossi and Martin.

As the race was drawing to a close, with just 15 minutes left, the car, which was positioned within the top five, encountered a hydraulics problem and had to withdraw from the competition.

"The weekend was a mix of highs and lows," stated Vincent Vosse, the head of the WRT team.

“Although we are disappointed with the outcome, there are still several positive aspects to consider.”

"We were the only team able to match the Ferrari [in Hypercar] during the first half of the race, which was a significant achievement."

"We must now figure out how to complete the race flawlessly."

"However, let's stay optimistic and direct our attention to the upcoming race in Fuji, scheduled for two weeks from now. The outcome in the LMGT3 category has been disheartening."

“We did our best with vehicle #31. There was a technical problem with vehicle #46, specifically related to the power steering. We will continue to investigate to determine the exact reason for the malfunction.

"The teams we competed against outperformed us, resulting in a loss of points to the top two leaders. We need to figure out ways to enhance our performance for the upcoming event in Fuji."

The Heart of Racing team, driving the #27 Aston Martin, claimed victory in the LMGT3 category at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). Meanwhile, the other WRT vehicle, numbered #31, finished in fifth

The #83 AF Corse Ferrari, driven by former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, along with Robert Shwartzman and Yifei Ye, secured an outright victory 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 similar success in subsequent races.

As the weekend approached, Rossi believed that his previous experience on the track from his MotoGP career, where he raced at COTA from 2013 to 2021, would be advantageous.

Rossi mentioned to Sportscar365 that he consistently performs quicker and more efficiently on a motorcycle when he is familiar with the track.

"You can bring a lot with you. You're familiar with the track, the specific paths, the locations of bumps, and where you can find grip and everything else."

"However, when it comes to the GT, it's distinctly different in certain aspects. This is because you can take many shortcuts and create various racing lines."

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

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