Photo: BMW
Valentino Rossi retired from the top tier of motorcycle racing, MotoGP, at the end of the 2021 season. Everyone hoped to see him race again, and the legend from Tavullia did not disappoint, except he chose to race on four wheels going forward. After an entire season, Rossi is switching teams.
In the 2022 season, Rossi competed for Team WRT, which finished in second place at the end of the season. The Italian racing legend shared the #46 Audi R8 LMS Evo II with Vervisch and Muller. Initially, the W Racing Team was supposed to continue with Audi on their LMDh program. As you might have figured out by now, it did not go down like that.
According to WRT, Audi had decided to put its LMDh program on hold, so the team decided to seek new partners. While the conclusion of a collaboration in GT racing that spans across 13 years was a bit sad, the people at W Racing Team were looking for a new partner. Just hours after the Audi separation was official, BMW had stepped in to compete with Team WRT.
The Blue-and-White roundel brand's motorsport division is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and the decision was made to compete in a factory LMDh program in the FIA World Endurance Championship starting in 2024.
During 2023, the W Racing Team will conduct various testing sessions of the BMW M Hybrid V8, the company's latest racing machine. Those tests will not be the only activity for WRT, as the outfit will also compete in the GT3 class with BMW machinery. Several BMW M4 GT3 models have been commissioned for the 2023 season for WRT, so Rossi will be behind the wheel of one of those next year.
In total, there are 21 BMW M works drivers for the 2023 season, and Valentino Rossi is one of them. The Italian racer is also the oldest in the crew, being born on February 16th, 1979. The youngest team member is German driver Max Hesse, who was born on July 23rd, 2001. Yes, people born in 2001 are old enough to race in GT championships nowadays, so we are very sorry to make you feel old just before Christmas.
The roster includes drivers like Augusto Farfus, Colton Herta, Philipp Eng, John Edwards, Dan Harper, Erik Johansson, Jens Klingmann, Jesse Krohn, Maxime Martin, Bruno Spengler, Rene Rast, Sheldon van der Linde, Dries Vanthoor, Neil Verhagen, Charles Weerts, Marco Wittman, Nick Yelloly, Connor de Phillippi, and Jake Dennis.
Rossi will share his new BMW M racing cars with Maxime Martin from Belgium and Augusto Farfus from Brazil. The trio will swap places behind the wheel in endurance racing, as it is mandated by the rules. Both of Rossi's vehicle colleagues have more experience in this field, but we do not think that Vale will be intimidated in any way.
The good news for Valentino Rossi fans is that the 43-year-old racer will not be able to take part in various other promotional activities with BMW M going forward, so we might see more of him in various events across the world, if his schedule allows it, and if BMW M plans accordingly.
One can only hope to see Rossi in promotional clips, as well, as this is an excellent promotional opportunity, but we do not work in marketing, so what do we know, right?
According to WRT, Audi had decided to put its LMDh program on hold, so the team decided to seek new partners. While the conclusion of a collaboration in GT racing that spans across 13 years was a bit sad, the people at W Racing Team were looking for a new partner. Just hours after the Audi separation was official, BMW had stepped in to compete with Team WRT.
The Blue-and-White roundel brand's motorsport division is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and the decision was made to compete in a factory LMDh program in the FIA World Endurance Championship starting in 2024.
During 2023, the W Racing Team will conduct various testing sessions of the BMW M Hybrid V8, the company's latest racing machine. Those tests will not be the only activity for WRT, as the outfit will also compete in the GT3 class with BMW machinery. Several BMW M4 GT3 models have been commissioned for the 2023 season for WRT, so Rossi will be behind the wheel of one of those next year.
In total, there are 21 BMW M works drivers for the 2023 season, and Valentino Rossi is one of them. The Italian racer is also the oldest in the crew, being born on February 16th, 1979. The youngest team member is German driver Max Hesse, who was born on July 23rd, 2001. Yes, people born in 2001 are old enough to race in GT championships nowadays, so we are very sorry to make you feel old just before Christmas.
The roster includes drivers like Augusto Farfus, Colton Herta, Philipp Eng, John Edwards, Dan Harper, Erik Johansson, Jens Klingmann, Jesse Krohn, Maxime Martin, Bruno Spengler, Rene Rast, Sheldon van der Linde, Dries Vanthoor, Neil Verhagen, Charles Weerts, Marco Wittman, Nick Yelloly, Connor de Phillippi, and Jake Dennis.
Rossi will share his new BMW M racing cars with Maxime Martin from Belgium and Augusto Farfus from Brazil. The trio will swap places behind the wheel in endurance racing, as it is mandated by the rules. Both of Rossi's vehicle colleagues have more experience in this field, but we do not think that Vale will be intimidated in any way.
The good news for Valentino Rossi fans is that the 43-year-old racer will not be able to take part in various other promotional activities with BMW M going forward, so we might see more of him in various events across the world, if his schedule allows it, and if BMW M plans accordingly.
One can only hope to see Rossi in promotional clips, as well, as this is an excellent promotional opportunity, but we do not work in marketing, so what do we know, right?
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