Valentino Rossi and GT races, the Audi manager: “Here’s how we convinced him”

“From now on, Valentino will no longer be just a legend of the MotoGP world championship, but a driver of Gran Turismo cars. For us, having hired him was not a marketing operation.” Thus Vincent Vosse, man of the WRT (W Racing Team), the Belgian team chosen by the Doctor of Tavullia for the new adventure in the GT World Challenge Europe championship at the wheel of the Audi R8 Lms, tells over the phone how the signing took place that started the new sporting chapter for the 42-year-old from Pesaro.

On the Audi R8 Lms GT3 Evo II

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Between the Wrt team and the VR46 there was a “courtship” moved by the belief that the nine-time world champion could be competitive with supercars derived from the series. The Belgian squadron Wrt, one of the absolute protagonists of the last few years in the reference series for GT3 cars, is preparing an Audi candidate for a leading role for Valentino Rossi. It is an Audi R8 Lms GT3 Evo II, a super sports car produced by the German company and entrusted to private teams, which is equipped with a 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 engine capable of delivering up to 585 Hp. Valentino will compete in all ten races of the championship: the first will be held in Imola on April 3, the debut round of the Endurance Cup, which includes five events, including the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, on July 30-31. For the overall victory, the imperative is to push hard also in the five races of the Sprint Cup (in Misano on 3 July).

Vosse, can you tell us about the negotiation to hire Valentino …

“The beginning dates back to August 2021, when on our input we organized a first appointment at the end of the month, discussing what we could do together. Immediately there was a positive feeling and we decided to give it a try, organizing the test in Valencia of the December 9, in which we had excellent feedback from both sides, deciding to continue. I was the one who took the first step, but it was not the first attempt: already at the time of Valentino in Ducati I had done a survey to maybe organize participation in the 24 Hours of Spa, but then the time was not ripe “.

Have you received any particular requests from Valentino?

“No, he trusted us and the great experience we have in this sector. Teammates? With him there will be two drivers for endurance races, one for sprints: they are high-profile Audi drivers for racing. customers, their names will be made official within a few days “.

What goals do you set for 2022: will Valentino be able to fight for victory?

“It’s difficult to answer now. Vale is certainly a very competitive person, he doesn’t come to us just to have fun. In all his previous events, for example at the Monza Rally, he has always shown himself to be a top level sportsman, that type of driver. that he does not participate only for the show. Now, however, something will change: it will not be a question of making spot races, but of participating in an entire season “.

What could be the difficulties for Valentino, even thinking about a complex race like the 24 Hours of Spa?

“Events like this are complicated and I don’t think Valentino has ever raced a 24 Hours. Both the two great drivers who will travel with him will play a key role, especially for managing times, stints at the wheel and breaks for the sleep, both the experience of the team “.

Like Wrt, you are also involved in the WEC World Championship with Lmp2 prototypes: could the next step for Valentino be a debut with prototypes, participating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans?

“Anything is possible, but you have to think one step at a time. Now for him and Wrt it is important to focus on the season with the GT3, then during the season we will face each other. I think the new Le Mans Daytona Hybrid and Hypercars can be something beautiful. for Vale in the future, but these are premature assessments “.

Curiosity: did you cheer for Valentino during the years of the World Championship?

“I am a fan of different sports and I have followed great champions, from Michael Jordan to Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher: I have spent a lot of time watching Vale’s races since he was very young when he triumphed in the premier class. He brought MotoGP to a incredible level of notoriety of which he was the superstar, but above all Vale is a beautiful person on a human level, an aspect that we at Wrt care a lot about. “