WEC | Vosse: “I expect Valentino Rossi at the top with BMW”

BMW M Motorsport and Team WRT's first season in the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship will not be an easy one.

The Bavarian company is preparing to bring its M Hybrid V8s to the Hypercar Class for the first time, managed by the Belgian team, with which many tests have already been carried out in recent months.

The German LMDh built on a Dallara chassis took its first steps in 2023 in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, also obtaining its first success. There has been growth, but there is still a lot of work ahead to be 100% ready, as Vincent Vosse explains.

“At Daytona the BMWs didn't get the result we expected, but we also saw that the car was competitive throughout a race which, as we know, is often decided in the last hour,” said the Team Principal of WRT in the round table with journalists in which Motorsport.com took part.

“We have learned a lot and we know what happened, together with BMW we are working to be ready in Qatar, where a truly difficult challenge awaits us.”

BMW is one of the new cars on the starting grid together with Isotta Fraschini, Lamborghini and Alpine, but it will present itself with all the humility possible because the level of the series is very high.

“I think the championship situation is very good, we are happy to be part of it; there are many manufacturers and I think something like this has never happened in endurance, but in general also in the racing world in the last 40 years.”

“Many manufacturers are fighting for the same goal and it's nice that this is the case. We are aware that the challenge will be really great with so many rivals competing. It will be difficult and we will have to stay very focused, fighting for the goal.”

“At Le Mans there will be many more teams and cars, our goal is to do well and we will fight for this.”

#46 Team WRT, BMW M4 GT3: Valentino Rossi, Vincent Vosse

Photo by: BMW Motorsport

WRT will also take care of the M4 GT3s entered in the new LMGT3 Class and obviously the spotlight will be focused mainly on the #46 where we will see Valentino Rossi at work.

The 'Doctor' has agreed to face a new challenge in the World Championship, also fulfilling his dream of participating in the 24h of Le Mans, after a couple of seasons in the GT World Challenge Europe, where he will continue by taking part in the Endurance Cup.

Vosse was the first to truly believe in the potential of the boy from Tavullia, from whom he now expects competitiveness even in the top endurance series.

“You all know that Vale is in his third year with us as a driver of the GT3 cars, his second with BMW. He will have to deal with some small changes, including that of the Goodyear tyres.”

“I must say that he is doing very well, as everyone has seen in the last two seasons, so I expect him to be at the top in his first season in the WEC.”

#46 Team WRT, BMW M4 GT3: Valentino Rossi, Maxime Martin, Augusto Farfus

Photo by: SRO

Finally, the Belgian fully supported the WEC's choice to leave the GT category to gentlemen drivers, despite criticism coming from many quarters regarding what risks being a lowering of standards.

“I believe it is right that the ACO and FIA WEC have chosen to retain the Bronze drivers, who have helped the championship grow and succeed over the last 12 years. They are guys who have an important role in GT racing.”

“Obviously it would have been very nice to have three PRO drivers in the car fighting for the title, but it would have been wrong to oust the Bronzes from the series.”