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

Valentino Rossi's participation in the COTA WEC race was thwarted due to a 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 vehicle, piloted by Valentino Rossi, Ahmad Al Harty, and Maxime Martin, had to withdraw from the Austin World Endurance Championship race with only 15 minutes remaining.

The vehicle featuring MotoGP icon Rossi’s renowned #46 surged from 15th place in its category to fifth during the initial segment of last Sunday’s Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas.

During his stint, Al Harty placed the car in a competitive position, and his teammates Rossi and Martin continued to keep up the fast pace.

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

WRT team leader Vincent Vosse mentioned that the weekend experienced both positive and negative moments.

“While we’re disappointed with the outcome, there are still several positives we can 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 positive."

"We must figure out how to execute it flawlessly until the race concludes."

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

"We did our best with car #31. Car #46 experienced a technical problem, specifically with the power steering. We intend to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the exact cause of the issue."

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

The #27 Aston Martin from Heart of Racing clinched victory in the LMGT3 category at COTA, whereas the other WRT vehicle, #31, finished in fifth place.

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

Rossi's debut season in the WEC has seen varied results. The #46 car managed to secure a podium finish at Imola, but has not been able to achieve the same success 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.

“I am consistently quicker and perform better on familiar tracks with my motorcycle,” Rossi mentioned to Sportscar365.

"Being familiar with the track allows you to bring over a lot of knowledge. You understand the layout, the optimal paths, and you know the locations of the bumps and where the grip is."

"However, when it comes to the GT, it's certainly distinct in several ways. You have the ability to take shortcuts and choose various racing lines."

"Ultimately, the course remains unchanged. Therefore, it's beneficial to be familiar with the course while riding the bike."

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