Valentino Rossi’s Promising COTA WEC Run Ends in Heartbreak with Late Breakdown

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

The #46 WRT BMW LMGT3, piloted by Valentino Rossi, Ahmad Al Harty, and Maxime Martin, withdrew from the Austin World Endurance Championship race just 15 minutes before the finish.

Last Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas, a car emblazoned with MotoGP icon Rossi's renowned #46 surged from 15th place to fifth during the initial phase of the Lone Star Le Mans.

Al Harty placed the car in a competitive spot during his stint, a performance that was upheld by his teammates Rossi and Martin.

As the race was approaching its end and the car was positioned within the top five, a hydraulics problem emerged with just 15 minutes remaining, causing the vehicle to drop out of the competition.

"The weekend had its share of highs and lows," stated Vincent Vosse, the head of the WRT team.

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

“For the first half of the race, we were the only team able to match the Ferrari's pace in the Hypercar category, which was a significant achievement for us.

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

"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 underwhelming."

"We did our best with vehicle #31. Vehicle #46 experienced a technical malfunction, specifically with the power steering system. We will conduct a 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 get better in Fuji."

The Aston Martin #27 from Heart of Racing secured the victory in the LMGT3 category at COTA, and the other WRT vehicle, #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 a decisive win and claimed the highest accolades in the Hypercar category.

Rossi's debut season in the WEC has had its ups and downs, with the #46 car clinching a podium finish at Imola but not managing to do so again thus far.

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

Rossi stated to Sportscar365 that he is consistently quicker and performs better on the track when he is familiar with it and riding his motorcycle.

"You can transport many items. You are familiar with the track, understand the ideal paths, and know the locations of bumps and areas with good grip."

“However, when it comes to the GT, it's definitely distinct in certain aspects. You have the ability to take various shortcuts and choose alternative racing lines.”

"In the end, the course remains unchanged, so being familiar with it while riding the bike is definitely beneficial."

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