Valentino Rossi’s WEC Hopes Dashed by Late Breakdown at Lone Star Le Mans

Valentino Rossi's COTA WEC race was derailed 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 BMW LMGT3 car from WRT, driven by Valentino Rossi, Ahmad Al Harty, and Maxime Martin, had to withdraw from the Austin World Endurance Championship race with just 15 minutes remaining.

During the opening phase of last Sunday's Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas, the car emblazoned with MotoGP icon Rossi’s renowned #46 surged from 15th place in its category to secure fifth place.

During that segment, Al Harty secured a solid position for the car, and teammates Rossi and Martin kept up the impressive speed.

As the race was drawing to a close with only 15 minutes remaining, the car, which was in the top five, encountered a hydraulics problem and had to withdraw.

"The weekend was a mix of positive and negative moments," 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 able to match the Ferrari's pace in the Hypercar category during the first half of the race, and that was a significant positive aspect."

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

"However, let's stay optimistic and look ahead to the next race, which will take place in two weeks at Fuji. Unfortunately, the outcome in the LMGT3 category has been underwhelming."

"We did everything possible with vehicle #31. As for vehicle #46, it experienced a technical malfunction related to the power steering. We plan to conduct a more thorough investigation to determine the root cause of the issue."

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

The LMGT3 class victory at COTA was claimed by the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin, with the #31 WRT car finishing in fifth place.

The #83 AF Corse Ferrari, driven by former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, Robert Shwartzman, and Yifei Ye, claimed overall victory 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 has not been able to achieve a similar result since then.

As the weekend approached, Rossi believed that his experience from his MotoGP years, during which he raced at COTA from 2013 to 2021, would be advantageous.

Rossi mentioned to Sportscar365 that he consistently performs quicker and more proficiently on familiar tracks with his motorcycle.

"You can bring a lot of experience with you. You’re familiar with the track, understand the optimal lines, and know where the bumps and the grip points are."

"However, with the GT, it stands out in many ways. You have the flexibility to take various lines and make significant cuts."

"Ultimately, the course remains unchanged. Thus, being familiar with it while riding the bike is beneficial."

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