Rossi's Bathurst BMW breaks cover

Valentino Rossi and his famous number will tackle Mount Panorama, with Team WRT revealing the #46’s livery.

Rossi was confirmed in a blockbuster driver line-up alongside Maxime Martin and Augusto Farfus.

Martin and Farfus have raced in Bathurst before — for Rossi, it will be his Mountain debut.

The Italian first raced in Australia in October 1996 at Sydney Motorsport Park in the 125cc class.

He won in the 250cc class at Phillip Island in 1998 and 1999, before reeling off five wins in a row in 500cc/MotoGP between 2001 to 2005.

Rossi claimed his final victory on Australian soil in 2014.

Team WRT has released images of the car that Rossi, Martin and Farfus will drive at the LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour.

The car will carry Rossi’s famous #46 and the fluorescent yellow he carried for much of his MotoGP career.

The #46 is one of two BMW M4 GT3s that will be entered by Team WRT in next February’s 12 Hour.

The #32 will be raced by Dries Vanthoor, Sheldon van der Linde and Charles Weerts.

Vanthoor won the 2018 12 Hour, while van der Linde is the new DTM champion.

The 2023 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.

Team WRT won the 2018 Bathurst 12 Hour with Audi.

Shane Rudzis, Bathurst 12 Hour Event Director, said Rossi is "one of the most significant driver announcements in Bathurst 12 Hour history”.

"Valentino Rossi is one of the biggest names in the world of motorsport and we're proud that the LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour will be his first experience of Mount Panorama,” Rudzis said.

"Having had so much success here on two wheels, Valentino has an enormous Australian fanbase and we are prepared for a significant increase in attention as a result of his entry.

"It's one of the most significant driver announcements in Bathurst 12 Hour history and we are thankful to BMW, WRT, Valentino and his team for making it happen.

“We can't wait to welcome him to Mount Panorama next February."

Tickets for the 2023 LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour are on sale now on Ticketek.com.

Camping for the 2023 event is also on sale.