MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi speaks out for the first time: His goal is to race in LMDh cars! – However, that would require an enormous amount of work from all sides
With five simple words, Valentino Rossi sets the course for his future in motorsport: “Ad ogni modo, ci provero.” – “I’ll definitely give it a try.” What he means is racing in the Hypercar class.
Valentino Rossi has been very reserved about the topic of hypercars in the past. But the test in Bahrain last November went surprisingly well: Rossi felt amazingly comfortable in the complex BMW M Hybrid V8 and was very surprised to find that the line selection seemed much more natural to him than in GT3 cars thanks to his motorcycle background.
On the sidelines of the 6 Hours of Imola, Rossi spoke publicly about the topic for the first time. When asked if he could imagine competing in Hypercar races in the future, he replied candidly: “That’s difficult because the team has two cars and already so many drivers that it’s not easy to organize. I’ll definitely give it a try.”
Roos: Bahrain test was “super”
BMW Motorsport Director Andreas Roos was asked how realistic a Rossi stint in the hypercar would actually be. It is striking that he only rules out stints for 2025, which is not surprising given that the season has already started:
“Certainly not for 2025, that’s clear. We’re now focusing on continuing to advance the GT3 program with Valentino. We have him here in the LMGT3 and in occasional appearances such as Bathurst or Misano.”
Nevertheless, the test in Bahrain made an impression internally. “Valentino delivered a superb test,” confirms Roos. ‘But you can’t judge it on a single test. That was an initial assessment – the next step would be to evaluate the whole thing in detail.’
One thing is clear: Rossi’s participation in the Hypercar would cause even more of a stir internationally than his previous GT3 involvement. Even now, the crowd in front of the WRT pit in the LMGT3 paddock is bigger than anywhere else. A Rossi start in the top class would undoubtedly add extra glamour to the BMW program, and WEC organizer ACO would probably roll out the red carpet.
The time commitment would be enormous
But it would also be a lot of work, as Roos confirms: “In Hypercar, the absolute top drivers and top teams compete against each other. You have to be extremely well prepared. That can’t be achieved in a few days. It requires a lot of time in the simulator and a lot of work on the setup. You have to evaluate exactly whether and how it would be possible.”
The main problem is the question of available material. BMW is unlikely to “sacrifice” one of its two factory cars to integrate Rossi – no matter how professional and willing to learn he is. Because despite all his experience in motorcycle racing, he still lacks routine in prototype racing compared to the established full-time drivers.
Johnny Cecotto is likely to remain the last driver to make the transition from motorcycle racer to top champion in a car. Since then, motorsport has become even more specialized. What Rossi is currently achieving is already very impressive. Added to this is his advanced age of 46. BMW will certainly want to stick with two top cars in the Hypercar category.
A possible way out would be a third car. Roos is not commenting on such speculation at present – a fundamental decision would first have to be made. However, Roos has been much more open to LMDh customer cars in recent months than in the past.
One thing is certain: Rossi’s current contract with BMW expires at the end of 2025. A continuation seems likely from both sides’ point of view – not least because the 45-year-old has repeatedly emphasized that he wants to continue racing for around ten more years. There is actually no reason for either side not to extend the contract. What happens after that remains to be seen.
