Seven-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi is contemplating the World Endurance Championship over the GT World Problem Europe as he downscales his race programme for subsequent season.
The BMW manufacturing unit driver has revealed that the German producer is steering him in the direction of the WEC somewhat than a full marketing campaign throughout the Endurance and Dash Cup legs of the GTWCE in 2025.
Rossi, who contested the WEC’s new LMGT3 class and 7 GTWCE occasions with the WRT group this yr, mentioned that in the meanwhile his choice is “extra in the direction of the WEC”, however harassed that he has but to make a ultimate name.
That won’t be made till after the ultimate GTWCE enduro in Jeddah on the finish of this month.
“I’ve various stress from BMW to stay within the WEC as a result of for them it’s extra necessary,” the 45-year-old Italian defined over the course of final weekend’s ultimate spherical of the 2024 WEC in Bahrain.
“I’m somewhat bit unsure and I have never determined but. Some issues are higher right here, some issues are higher there.”
Rossi has beforehand pointed to the status of racing in a world championship and the chance it presents to compete on the Le Mans 24 Hours, whereas stressing the ultra-competitiveness of GT3-only racing within the GTWCE through which he competes within the Professional class.
He has determined to chop down on the variety of races he’ll contest from 16 this yr to 10 or 11 subsequent for household causes at a time when the start of his second little one is imminent.
#20 BMW M Workforce WRT BMW M Hybrid V8: Valentino Rossi
Photograph by: JEP / Motorsport Pictures
To realize that, he must drop out of one of many championships which were a part of his 2024 programme.
Ought to he select the GTWCE, it’s possible that he would do each legs of the collection through which he has achieved his biggest success since his full-time swap to 4 wheels following his retirement from MotoGP on the finish of 2020.
He took a solo Dash Cup victory in every of the 2023 and ’24 seasons driving a BMW M4 GT3 for BMW, the previous as a part of a full marketing campaign, the latter over the 2 short-format GTWCE occasions he contested alongside a full marketing campaign within the enduros.
Rossi reaffirmed his intent to contest the Bathurst 12 Hours, the opening spherical of the Intercontinental GT Problem subsequent February, for a 3rd yr in succession.
Had he continued to race in each WEC and GTWCE, the Australian enduro would possible have been a casualty of his efforts to scale back his variety of races.
Rossi performed down the possibilities of him racing BMW’s M Hybrid V8 LMDh after try-out in a WRT-run automotive eventually weekend’s WEC rookie take a look at in Bahrain.
He mentioned that he was “completely happy to check the [Le Mans] Hypercar and put it in my assortment”.
