Rossi, BMW WRT shift focus to Bathurst
Team WRT is looming as early favourite for LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour success after winning on debut with BMW.
WRT’s #7 BMW M4 GT3, led by of Dries Vanthoor won the Hankook Dubai 24H on Sunday.
The team’s second entry, with Valentino Rossi behind the wheel, came home third.
Vanthoor, Sheldon van der Linde and Charles Weerts will share a WRT BMW in Bathurst next month.
MotoGP legend Rossi will make his Bathurst debut alongside Maxime Martin and Augusto Farfus.
WRT won the 2018 12 Hour with Audi, with Vanthoor, Robin Frijns and Stuart Leonard the drivers.
Team WRT boss Vincent Vosse was delighted to debut the BMW in victory lane.
The winning BMW Pic: 24H Series
“You always know that you have a chance as long as you have a strong car, which was the case,” Vosse told Sportscar365.
“And as long as you have the right driver lineup without mistakes, you have a chance.
“We know that we had a lot to learn. We did learn a lot and on top of that we won.
“So we cannot ask for more. I have to say it can not be much better than that.”
It was WRT’s second consecutive victory in Dubai, having won the 2022 race with Audi.
The 2023 Bathurst 12 Hour will represent the Australian racing debut of the brand-new BMW M4 GT3 car.
BMW has never won the 12 Hour in the current International GT3 era.
Pic: Valentino Rossi
Rossi — an eight-time motorcycle Australian Grand Prix winner — greatly enjoyed his racing debut in the new M4.
Come February 3, and the Italian will make his first four-wheel racing start in Australia, at Mount Panorama no less.
“It is very good, it’s a great debut with BMW,” Rossi said.
“First race together, I enjoyed it a lot. Our target was to finish on the podium.
"It was not easy, there were a lot of fast cars, but at the end we did it.
“We are very happy."
Team WRT's two BMWs are entered in the Pro class for the February 3-5 Bathurst event.
There will be eight Pro and eight Pro-Am entries in next month's race in a total grid of 28 cars.
Tickets for the 2023 LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour are on sale now on Ticketek.com.
