At the end of his first season in the World Endurance Championship, contested in the LMGT3 category with a BMW M4 from the WRT team, Valentino Rossi had the opportunity to test the German manufacturer’s LMDh during the Rookie Test of Bahrain.
« Stunning », smiles Valentino Rossi when asked to describe his test with the BMW Hypercar. “ It was my second Rookie Test, because I am a very young driver », jokes the 45-year-old man who had already participated in this day in 2023 with WRT to drive an Oreca 07.
« This year is special though because I had the opportunity to drive the Hypercar for the first time. When you are here (in Endurance), the Hypercar is a dream for everyone, because it is the Formula 1 of the sports-proto, or the Moto GP of the prototype,” explains the transalpine MotoGP legend in a video from the World Endurance Championship which can be found below via the FIA WEC YouTube channel.
« The car is 15 seconds faster than a GT3 and has a lot of horsepower, so the straight is shorter. It has a lot of grip and support » adds Rossi, who insisted quite a bit with Andreas Roos, director of BMW M Motorsport, to be able to get behind the wheel of the Hypercar. From the 1812km of Qatar, the opening round of the season, the Transalpine confided to the press his desire to test the firm’s propeller prototype.
René Rast impressed by Valentino Rossi
Valentino Rossi had as his guide a certain René Rast, one of the BMW starters in the WEC Hypercar category, during this day. “ He is a nine-time world champion, but in a different category, explains the latter. As it was his first time in Hypercar, I was there to give him advice. » The German was also the team’s designated reference driver, so he completed five laps at the start of the day so that his data would serve as a basis for Rossi afterwards.
Valentino Rossi driving the BMW M Hybrid V8 in Sakhir – Photo: Frédéric Le Floc’h / DPPI
« I felt comfortable with the car and the tires from the first lap, confides the Italian. The car feels balanced and precise when you steer it. Acceleration is smooth. It is physically demanding, but the sensations are good. »
Valentino Rossi had a good performance during this Rookie Test in Bahrain as he was the second fastest rookie over a lap behind Arthur Leclerc (Ferrari). “ I must say that I was very impressed by Valentino’s performance, confesses Rast, also admiring the professionalism of his teammate for a day. I told him in the morning to stay calm, not to push the car too much, that he was going to be slow at first, but that he would improve during the day. He got in and his first lap was as fast as any of us. »
Even if this Rookie Test was a good day for Valentino Rossi, the Italian will not race in the WEC Hypercar category in 2025 with BMW. The only novelty on the company’s side at the propeller next season will be the presence of the now former Formula 1 driver, Kevin Magnussen.
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