Valentino Rossi’s WEC Hopes Dashed by Late Breakdown at COTA: #46 WRT BMW LMGT3 Forced to Retire 15 Minutes from Finish

Valentino Rossi's COTA World Endurance Championship 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 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 it concluded.

During the initial phase of the Lone Star Le Mans held last Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas, the vehicle featuring MotoGP icon Rossi's renowned number 46 surged from 15th place in its category to secure the fifth position.

During his stint, Al Harty positioned the car advantageously, and his teammates Rossi and Martin upheld this impressive pace.

As the race was coming to an end and the car was positioned within the top five, a hydraulics problem emerged with just 15 minutes left, resulting in the car having to withdraw from the competition.

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

"Naturally, we’re disappointed with the outcome, but there are definitely some great aspects to acknowledge."

“We were the sole competitors able to match the Ferrari in the Hypercar category during the first half of the race, which was a significant advantage for us.

"At this point, we need to master completing the race flawlessly."

"However, let's stay optimistic and look ahead to the upcoming race in Fuji, which is scheduled for two weeks from now. The outcome in LMGT3 has been less than satisfactory."

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

"Our rivals outpaced us, causing us to lose more ground to the top two teams. We need to figure out how to enhance our performance in Fuji."

The Heart of Racing Aston Martin, car number 27, clinched victory in the LMGT3 category at COTA, whereas the WRT team’s other vehicle, car number 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 World Endurance Championship has had its ups and downs. The #46 car managed to secure a podium finish at Imola, but hasn't been able to achieve similar results in the following races.

Before the weekend began, Rossi believed that his past experience on the track from his MotoGP career, where he raced at COTA from 2013 to 2021, would be beneficial.

Rossi mentioned to Sportscar365 that he consistently performs at a higher speed and with greater skill on tracks he is familiar with when riding his motorcycle.

"You can bring a lot of experience with you. You are familiar with the track, understand the best racing lines, and know the locations of bumps and areas with good grip."

"Certainly, the GT is quite distinct in some respects. You have the flexibility to cut corners and take various lines."

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

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