Valentino Rossi performed admirably during his first season in the World Endurance Championship in the LMGT3 class.
The Italian driver had a mixed year in WEC as he adjusted to the highest level of Endurance racing with BMW.
He competed for Team WRT and started well, taking a fourth-place finish at the season opener in the Qatar 1812 km at the Lusail International Circuit.
Rossi also took two podiums across the 6 Hours of Imola and at the penultimate round of the championship at Fuji Speedway, finishing in third place.
His drives to the podium were balanced by two consecutive retirements at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and failing to see the chequered flag at Le Mans.
The MotoGP legend also competed in the post-season WEC Rookie Test in the BMW Hybrid M V8 at the Bahrain International Circuit, and Rossi explained via the official 24 Hours of Le Mans website what made the test tricky.
Valentino Rossi found it ‘very difficult’ to get to the limit in the BMW Hypercar
The Hypercar class is considerably quicker than the LMGT3 cars in the World Endurance Championship, making it difficult to adjust to.
There is significantly more downforce and power, which creates very different prospects in high-speed turns to get comfortable on the limit.
The Hypercar still has driver aids such as traction control, but the hybrid system adds another layer of complexity that simpler GT3 cars don’t have.
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Rossi set competitive times in the test, driving to second on the timesheets – just a tenth of a second slower than Arthur Leclerc.
He explained Rossi’s challenges in the test as he moved from the LMGT3 class and why he had some worries.
Rossi said: “Today was a fantastic day. I had the chance to drive the BMW M Hybrid V8 for the entire day with the whole crew and Rene Rast, who gave me advice. I enjoyed it a lot, the car is fantastic, very fast and very strong. It has a lot of power. The lap times were 15 seconds faster than in GT3.
“The tyres have great grip. It is a real race car. I was quite worried because I had never driven the Hypercar before, but I felt good from the first lap because the car is stable and gives good feedback.
“To go fast is very difficult, but it’s a lot of fun. I have to say thank you for the great experience, and I hope that I have another chance to try the car.”
Valentino Rossi has driven well since switching from motorbikes to cars
Rossi had a successful career in bike racing, winning seven MotoGP championships before switching to four wheels.
He competed in GT World Challenge Europe in 2022 and placed multiple times in the top five, an impressive feat in a competitive field.
After racing in shorter events, he moved to the World Endurance Championship in 2024 and stayed with GT3 cars, racing for BMW.
The Hypercar outing would have been a step up, and it may take him some more tests to reach the limit and drive consistently.
There could be opportunities in the Hypercar class for Rossi, especially if Mick Schumacher were to move on as talks continue around his future at Alpine.