Valentino Rossi’s WEC Dreams Dashed: Late Breakdown Ends #46 WRT BMW’s Strong Run at COTA

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

The #46 LMGT3 BMW, piloted by Valentino Rossi, Ahmad Al Harty, and Maxime Martin, had to withdraw just 15 minutes before the conclusion of the Austin World Endurance Championship race.

The vehicle marked with MotoGP icon Rossi's renowned number 46 surged from 15th place to 5th during the initial phase of last Sunday's Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas.

Al Harty placed the car in a favorable position during his stint, with team-mates Rossi and Martin continuing to uphold that impressive pace.

As the race was nearing its end, the car was performing within the top five. However, with only 15 minutes remaining, a hydraulics problem emerged, forcing it to withdraw from the competition.

“The weekend was a mix of positives and negatives,” stated Vincent Vosse, the head of the WRT team.

"Naturally, we are disappointed with the outcome, but there are also several encouraging aspects to consider."

"We were the sole competitors capable of matching the Ferrari's pace in the Hypercar category during the first half of the race, which was a highly encouraging aspect."

"At this point, we need to figure out how to execute it flawlessly through to the finish line."

“However, let's maintain a positive outlook and shift 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 car #31. Car #46 experienced a technical problem, specifically a power steering issue. We will conduct further investigations to determine the exact cause of the failure."

"Our rivals outpaced us, causing us to lose more points to the top two teams. We need to figure out how to perform better in Fuji."

The Heart of Racing team's Aston Martin, car number 27, secured a victory in the LMGT3 category at the Circuit of the Americas. Meanwhile, the other car from the WRT team, number 31, finished in

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 World Endurance Championship has been a blend of highs and lows, with the #46 car achieving a podium finish at Imola, but unable to match that success in subsequent races.

Before the weekend began, 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 for him.

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

"It's beneficial because you're familiar with many aspects. You understand the track layout, the racing lines, where the bumps are, and where you can find grip and traction."

"Certainly, the GT is quite distinct in some respects. You can take more shortcuts and choose alternative racing lines."

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

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