WRT BMW has rejigged its driver line-up for the 2026 World Endurance Championship, with MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi departing the LMGT3 squad after two seasons.Rossi had been a central determine in BMW’s LMGT3 programme for the reason that inception of the class in 2024, scoring 4 podiums throughout 16 appearances within the #46 M4 LMGT3.Nonetheless, only a month after the conclusion of the 2025 season by which he, Kelvin van der Linde and Ahmad Al Harthy completed eighth within the standings, the silver-rated Italian has been dropped from the line-up.A press launch revealing BMW and WRT’s two LMGT3 crews made no point out of Rossi, who turns 47 subsequent yr. His contract with the German producer was as a consequence of expire on the finish of the yr, however it’s anticipated that he’ll signal a brand new deal and return to GT World Problem Europe, the place he beforehand raced alongside his WEC commitments.
#46 Group WRT BMW M4 LMGT3: Ahmad Al Harthy, Valentino Rossi, Kelvin Van Der Linde
Photograph by: Shameem Fahath / Motorsport Community
None of Rossi’s 2025 team-mates will return to BMW’s buyer squad subsequent season, with the rebanded #69 M4 GT3 that includes a completely new driver line-up within the type of manufacturing facility driver Dan Harper, Parker Thompson and Anthony McIntosh.McIntosh, who campaigned an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 for Spirit of Leman this yr, was among the many drivers on responsibility for WRT throughout final month’s Bahrain check.Over within the #32 BMW, Augusto Farfus stays because the crew’s designated professional driver in 2026, however shall be united along with his former team-mates Darren Leung and Sean Gelael, each of whom return to WRT’s fold after a season with United Autosports McLaren.
Since retiring from MotoGP and switching to sportscar racing in 2022, Rossi has scored three wins within the dash leg of GTWCE and a podium every in main endurance races just like the Bathurst 12 Hour, Gulf 12 Hour and Dubai 24 Hours.
He additionally sampled the BMW M Hybrid V8 throughout the 2024 Bahrain rookie check and maintains that Hypercars are extra suited to his driving model than the road-based LMGT3 machines.
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