Valentino Rossi’s run in BMW’s M Hybrid V8 LMDh on the World Endurance Championship rookie check in Bahrain subsequent month has been confirmed.
BMW has formally revealed the seven-time MotoGP champion’s participation within the check with the manufacturing facility WRT Hypercar class squad on the day after the ultimate around the 2024 WEC together with that of fellow manufacturing facility drivers Dan Harper and Max Hesse.
The affirmation comes 4 weeks after Rossi, who’s racing a WRT BMW within the LMGT3 class of the WEC in addition to within the GT World Problem Europe, unilaterally introduced that his promised run within the M Hybrid would come as anticipated on the rookie check.
Rossi, who received his first style of a prototype in a WRT-run ORECA-Gibson 07 LMP on the rookie check final yr, stated: “I’m thrilled that I can check the Hypercar – now we have been searching for a date for a very long time, and now it has lastly labored out.
“I actually needed to do that check to get a really feel for what the BMW M Hybrid V8 can do.
“Many due to BMW M Motorsport for this chance.”
BMW M Motorsport boss Andreas Roos added that he’s “wanting ahead to seeing what our rookies can do”.
#20 BMW M Group WRT BMW M Hybrid V8: Sheldon Van Der Linde, Robin Frijns, Rene Rast
Picture by: JEP / Motorsport Photos
Briton Harper and German Hesse are being given an outing within the M Hybrid after impressing on the wheel of BMW’s M4 GT3 since their commencement from the marque’s revived junior programme to full manufacturing facility standing for 2023.
Their successes collectively this yr embody a third-place end within the Nurburgring 24 Hours with the RMG crew and a GTWCE Endurance Cup victory at Paul Ricard in April, sharing an M4 GT3 with Charles Weerts and Augusto Farfus respectively.
Harper and Hesse have already pushed the M Hybrid: they’ve undertaken aerodynamic testing and Hesse has been concerned in improvement on the simulator.
Rossi, Harper and Hesse be part of a rising checklist of drivers confirmed to participate within the rookie check in Bahrain aboard Hypercar equipment.
It contains Theo Pourchaire and Clement Novalak with Peugeot, Victor Martins with Alpine and Arthur Leclerc with Ferrari.
Esteban Masson might be given a run with Toyota after racing for sister marque Lexus in LMGT3 this yr.
Reshad de Gerus, who completed third in LMP2 on the Le Mans 24 Hours with IDEC Sport this yr, has been nominated to participate by the collection organiser.
The Frenchman will drive for whichever marque wins the producers’ title.
Motorsport.com says
Valentino Rossi driving a automobile that competes for outright honours within the WEC and at Le Mans might seize the headlines for BMW in addition to the collection, however his run shouldn’t be thought to be a try-out for a seat in one of many M Hybrids for subsequent yr or every other time.
It is a PR alternative and a little bit of enjoyable for Rossi. We shouldn’t overlook that his post-MotoGP profession on 4 wheels is as a lot about enjoyment as making an attempt to win races.
Rossi has acknowledged that his goal isn’t to race BMW’s LMDh, although he has certified that with a ‘you by no means know’.
The truth is that he’s almost 46 and coming to the top of solely his third full season of automobile racing. He’s not on the tempo of his skilled team-mates within the M4 GT3, so it will be unrealistic to count on him to match them in a prototype.
Hypercar within the WEC is much too aggressive to have any weak hyperlinks within the chain.
The world shouldn’t be speculating whether or not Rossi will ever race the M Hybrid, quite the place he might be competing in 2025. The Italian plans to chop again on his schedule subsequent yr and must resolve between the WEC and the GTWCE.
